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bale's   falls,    GRAYSON   CO.,    VA. 

(P.  308.) 


RESOURCES 


OF 


South-west  Virginia 


SHOWING   THE 


MINEEAL  DEPOSITS  OF  IRON,  COAL,  ZINC, 
COPPER  AND  LEAD. 


ALSO, 


THE  STAPLES  OF  THE  VARIOUS  COUNTIES,  METHODS  OF  TRANS- 
PORTATION, ACCESS,  Etc. 


ILLUSTRATED  BY  NUMEROUS   PLATES   AND    LARGE  COLORED  MAP 

REPRESENTING  THE  GEOGRAPHY.  GEOLOGY  AND 

TOPOGRAPHY  OF  THE  COUNTRY. 


C.  R.  BOYD,   E.M., 

HzMBEB  OF  Am.  Soc.  of  Civil  Enojneers,  ant>  of  the  Institute  of  Mining  Enoineers. 


NEW   YOlUv  : 

JOHN     WILEY    &    SONS, 

l!)  Ahtoii  Place. 

1881. 


COPYRIOHT. 

1881, 
By  JOHN  WILEY  &  SONS. 


NEW  YORK  :    J.   J.   LITTLE  &  CO.,   PRINTERS, 
10   TO  20   ASTOR    PLACE. 


F 


^  -2    t 


l- 


Contents. 


MONTGOMERY  COUNTY. 

PAGE 

Geology 3 

Brush  Creek— Gold  Bearing  Rocks 6 

Brown  Iron  Ore 8 

The  Valley  of  Blacksburg 10 

Blacksburg  College 13 

The  MUlstone  Grit 17 

Poverty  Valley  and  Gap  Mountain 17 

Mineral  Springs 18 

Dr.  Genth's  Analysis 18 

The  Montgomery  White  Sulphur  Springs 21 

The  Yellow  Sulphur  Springs 21 

Towns  and  Villages 23 

Blacksburg 24 

Central  Depot 24 

Alleghany  Station 25 

Big  Spring 25 

Lafayette 25 

Public  Schools 25 

Proiluction  of  Cattle,  Sheep,  Wheat,  Corn,  and  Tobacco 2G 

Timber 20 

Water  Power 27 

Grape  Culture 27 

Bee  Culture 27 

Fish  Culture 28 

PULASKI  COUNTY. 

How  Watered 30 

Description  of  Section 31 

Iron  Ores 33 

Red  Iron  Ore 37 

I  ron  Carbonaf  n 37 

Manganese  Ores h 37 

Coal 88 

V 


85S983 


"^1  CONTENTS. 

LeadandZinc ""^^J 

Silver 

Limestone .,^ 

Building  Stones .^ 

Mineral  Springs ^ 

Timber ^ 

Water  Power .„ 

Manufactures ,„ 

Agriculture 

Scenery *' 

Fruits 7: 

Trade  in  Cattle,  Sheep,  Wheat,  and  Tobacco '.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.     45 

Lines  of  Transportation .^ 

Towns  and  Villages .  _ 

Public  Schools ' .„ 

46 

WYTHE  COUNTY. 

How  Bounded .^ 

How  Watered .q 

Geological ,  „ 

Coal ^„ 

Iron — Brown  Iron  Ore ^k 

Analysis  by  J.  Blodgett  Britton 56 

The  Second  Horizon  of  Brown  Ores 57 

Sir  Robert  Mallet  on  Volcanic  Energy ' ' ' 59 

The  Brown  Iron  Ores  and  Manganiferous  Ores  of  Lick  and  Draper's 

Mountains «/. 

T^    T  T-        ^  66 

Ked  Iron  Ores on 

,^         .    ^  by 

Magnetic  Iron  Ore nn 

Sulphurated  Iron  Ores »q 

Manganese 1^-, 

Lead  and  Zinc m 

The  Furnace  and  Works  of  the  Wythe  Lead  and  Zinc  Mines  Company. . .'  74 

Copper ^^ 

Gypsum /j,g 

Marble ~,g 

Barytes r.« 

Kaolin nn 

Timber  and  Charcoal 73 

Agriculture ij.g 

Manufactures ij'g 

Scenery,  etc gQ 

Scenery,  Mineral  Springs,  etc 81 

Wytheville gg 

Lines  of  Transportation g3 

Fish  Culture g4 

Production  of  Cattle,  Sheep,  Wheat,  Pig  Metal,  Lead,  and  Zinc  Ore 84 


CONTENTS.  Vll 

PAGE 

Quotation  from  Howard  Shriver,  A.M.,  of  Wytheville,  on  the  Flora  and 

Climate  of  Wythe  County ' 84 

Kain-fall  ;  and  Averages  for  Month  and  Year 87 

Monthly  Average  Temperature  and  General  Averages  for  Month  and  Year  87 

]\Iaxima  and  Minima  of  Thermometer 88 

Range  of  Barometer 89 

Monthly  Averages 89 

Furnaces  and  Forges  in  Wythe  County,  Virginia— All  Cold-Blast  Char- 
coal   89 

SMYTH  COUNTY. 

How  Bounded 93 

How  Watered 93 

Geological 93 

Iron  Ores 94 

Red  Iron  Ore 99 

Magnetic  Iron  Ore 100 

Iron  Pyrites 100 

Copper 100 

Lead  and  Zinc  . .   101 

Salt  and  Gypsum,  or  Plaster 101 

Gypsum 104 

Barytes 108 

Marble 109 

Kaolin 109 

Timber 109 

Water  Power 110 

Agriculture 110 

Scenery Ill 

Mineral  Springs 112 

Manufactures 113 

Furnaces  and  Forges 113 

Lines  of  Transportation 114 

Trade  in  Cattle,  Sheep,  Wheat,  Corn,  etc 115 

Education 115 

Towns  and  Villages ^ 116 

WASHINGTON  COUNTY. 

How  Bounded 118 

How  Watered 1 18 

Geological 118 

Iron 119 

Red  Iron  Ores 120 

^fagnetic  Iron  Ores  or  Semi-Magnetic  Red  Ores 120 

Co{iper ^ 121 

Lead  and  Zinc 121 


■nil  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

Plaster  and  Salt 121 

Marble 123 

Barytas 123 

Timber 123 

Water  Power 123 

Agriculture 124 

Tobacco  Culture 125 

Mineral  Springs 125 

Washington  Springs 126 

Scenery 126 

Manufactures 127 

Furnaces  and  Forges 128 

Towns  and  Villages 129 

Bristol 129 

Glade  Spring 130 

Buena  Vista  130 

Emory 131 

Lines  of  Transportation 131 

Fish  Culture 131 

Annual  Surplus  of  Cattle,  Sheep,  Wheat,  Corn,  Tobacco,  etc 132 

Education 132 

Emory  and  Henry  College 133 

Martha  Washington  College 133 

Stonewall  Jackson  Female  Institute 134 

GILES  COUNTY. 

How  Bounded 135 

How  Watered 136 

Notable  Physical  Features 136 

Section  through  Giles  County 137 

Geology 138 

Iron  Ores 140 

Fossil  Red  Iron  Ore 142 

East  River  Mountain  Ore 143 

Flat  Top  Mountain  Ore.     (Fossil  Red.) 143 

Brown  Iron  Ores V\ 144 

Manganese 147 

Analysis  of  Manganese  Ore 147 

Copper 148 

Lead  and  Zinc 148 

SUver 149 

Limestone 149 

Marble 150 

Timber 150 

Agriculture 151 

Fruits ]  53 

Grapes 153 


CONTENTS.  ix 

PAGE 

Bee  Culture 153 

Mineral  Springs  and  Watering-Places 152 

Scenery 153 

Trade 153 

Manufactures 155 

Schools 156 

Fish  Culture 156 

Towns,  etc 156 

Transportation  Lines 157 

BLAND  COUNTY. 

How  Bounded 158 

How  ^^'atered 158 

Geology 159 

Iron  Ores 10  i 

Red  Ores 10:5 

Manganese 104 

Coal 105 

Lead  and  Zinc 105 

Barytes 100 

Building  Stones 100 

Mineral  Springs 1 00 

Timber 107 

Water  Powers 107 

Manufactures 108 

Agriculture 108 

Scenery 108 

Trade  in  Cattle,  Sheep,  Wool,  Wheat,  and  Cora  10!) 

Lines  of  Transportation , 109 

Towns  and  Villages 169 

Public  Schools 170 

TAZEWELL  COUNTY. 

How  Bounded 171 

How  Watered 171 

Geology 173 

Iron  Ores 173 

Tazewell  County 173 

Red  Iron  Ores 176 

Iron  Pyrites 177 

Manganese 1 78 

Coal * 1 78 

Lead  and  Zinc 180 

Barytes ISl 

Copper. 181 

Salt 181 


X  coirrENTS. 

PAGE 

Building  Stones 181 

Soapstone 183 

Marble 182 

Mineral  Springs 183 

Timber 183 

Water  Power 184 

Manufactures 185 

Agriculture 185 

Scenery 187 

Trade  in  Cattle,  Sheep,  Wool,  Wheat,  Corn,  and  Tobacco 189 

Towns  and  Villages 1 89 

Public  Schools 190 


RUSSELL  COUNTY. 

How  Bounded 190 

How  Watered 191 

Geology  of  Russell 191 

Section  through  Russell  County 193 

Iron  Ores 194 

Coal ' 195 

Lead  and  Zinc 196 

Barytes 196 

Copper  Ore 196 

Salt 196 

Limestone 196 

Building  Stones 197 

Marble 197 

Mineral  Springs 197 

Timber 197 

Water  Power 198 

Manufactures 198 

Agriculture 198 

Scenery 199 

Trade  in  Cattle,  Sheep,  Wheat,  and  Corn 200 

Lines  of  Transportation 200 

Towns  and  Villages 201 

PubUc  Schools 201 


SCOTT  COUNTY. 

How  Bounded 203 

How  Watered 203 

Geological 203 

Cross  Section  in  Eastern  End  of  Scott  County 203 

Cross  Section  West  End  of  Scott  County 203 

Coal 204 

Iron  Ores — Fossil  or  Red  Ore 204 


CONTENTS.  XI 

PAGE 

Brown  Ores 205 

Manganese 206 

Lead 200, 

Salt 206 

Marble 207 

Barytes 207 

Fire  Clay 207 

Water  Power 207 

Timber 208 

Agriculture 208 

Mineral  Springs. , 208 

Scenery 209 

Manufactures,  Furnaces,  and  Forges 210 

Lines  of  Transportation 211 

Annual  Surplus  of  Cattle,  Sheep,  Horses,  Mules,  and  Wheat 211 

Principal  Towns,  etc 212 

Education 212 

LEE  COUNTY. 

How  Bounded 214 

How  Watered 214 

Coal 214 

Iron  Ores — Fossil  Red  Ores 216 

Two  Sections  taken  within  two  miles  of  North  Fork  Gap  (or  Pennington's 

Gap),  showing  the  Fossil  Red  Iron  Ore  of  Lee  County 217 

Brown  Iron  Ore 218 

Lead  and  Zinc 218 

Limestone  218 

Barytes 219 

Kaolin 219 

Timber 219 

Water  Power 220 

Agriculture 220 

Scenery 220 

Archaeology 221 

Manufactures 221 

Pennington's  Forge 222 

Lines  of  Transportation 222 

Fish  Cultiin^  22:$ 

Annuid  Surplus  of  Cattle,  Sheep,  Wheat,  etc 22li 

Education 224 

WISE  COUNTY. 

How  Bounded 22.') 

How  Watered 225 

Iron  Ores 226 


Xll  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

Cross  Section  at  Big  Stone  Gap,  Wise  County 227 

Coal 228 

The  Iron  Ores 235 

Limestone 238 

General  Summary  of  the  Resources 239 

Lead 243 

Silver 243 

Building  Stones 243 

Timber 244 

Agriculture 244 

Manufactures 245 

Schools 245 

Trade  in  Cattle,  etc 246 

DICKENSON  COUNTY.  246 

BUCHANAN  COUNTY. 

How  Bounded 247 

How  Watered 247 

Geology.       248 

Iron  Ores 249 

Coal 249 

Vertical  Section-Conway  Creek 250 

Salt 251 

Building  Stones 253 

Timber 252 

Water  Power 253 

Agriculture 253 

Scenery 253 

Trade  in  Cattle  and  Sheep 254 

Lines  of  Transportation 254 

Towns  and  Villages 254 

Public  Schools 254 

FLOYD  COUNTY. 

Section  through  Floyd  County 256 

Gold 261 

Agricultural  Features 263 

Annual  Shipments  over  and  above  Home  Consumption  of  Several  Pr'o- 

ducts 264 

Timber 265 

Water  Power 265 

Fruit 265 

Fish  Culture 265 

Bee  Culture 266 

Towns  and  VUlages 266 


•  •  • 


CONTENTS.  Tin 

PAGE 

Public  Schools 266 

Scenery 267 

Puncheon  Run  Falls 267 

CARROLL  COUNTY. 

Hovr  Bounded 209 

Section  through  Carroll  County 270 

How  Watered 271 

Geological 271 

Specular  Ores 275 

Magnetite 275 

Iron  P_\Tites 270 

Copper  Ore 276 

Native  Copper 277 

The  Peach  Bottom  Lode 278 

Northern  Lode 279 

A  Table  of  Analysis  iipon  Samples  of  Ore  Obtained  from  the  Different 

Shafts  and  Openings  upon  the  Property  of  this  Company 289 

Gold  and  Silver 289 

Mica 290 

Building  Stones 290 

Mineral  Springs 290 

Timber 291 

Water  Power 291 

Manufactures 293 

Agriculture 292 

Scenery 293 

Fruits 293 

Trade  in  Cattle,  Sheep,  etc 294 

Lines  of  Transportation 294 

Towns  and  villages 294 

GRAYSON  COUNTY. 

How  Bounded  295 

How  Watered 290 

Geological 290 

Section  through  Grayson  County 297 

Iron  Ores 299 

Iron  Pyrites 301 

Manganese 303 

Lead 303 

(bppcr 303 

Golrl 304 

Silver 304 

Limestone 305 

Felspar 305 


sir  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

Granite  and  Syenite 305 

Asbestos 306 

Soapstone 306 

Timber 306 

Water  Power 306 

Manufactures 307 

Agriculture 307 

Scenery 308 

Fruits 309 

Trade  in  Cattle,  Sheep,  Wheat,  Corn,  and  Tobacco 309 

Towns  and  Villages 310 


ASHE  COUNTY,  N.  C. 

How  Watered 313 

Geological 313 

Copper 313 

Copper,  Gold,  and  Silver 315 

Iron  Ore 317 

Mica 318 

Kaolin 318 

Talc 319 

Timber  and  Charcoal 319 


ALLEGHANY  COUNTY,  N.  C. 

The  Counties  of  Southwestern  Virginia 320 

Census  Items 331 


EESOUECES 


N 


OF 


Southwest  Virginia. 


It  is  hoped  by  the  writer  that  the  matter  contained  in  this 
book  will  be  a  sufficient  apology  for  its  appearance.  Not  that 
he  is,  by  this  means,  trying  to  forestall  criticism  upon  the 
manner  in  which  the  subjects  are  handled.  No  doubt  a 
much  more  beautiful  structure  could  be  built  of  the  same 
materials  by  more  skillful  hands,  but  noio  is  the  time  when 
the  general  public  desire  to  be  informed  about  these  most 
lavish  and  bountiful  resources  of  this  section  of  Virginia ; 
and  if  the  more  competent  heads  and  hands  will  not  under- 
take a  work  which,  if  even  tolerably  well  done,  would  be  alike 
gratefully  received  by  a  progressive  public  and  a  needy  State, 
why  some  one  must  do  it  who  may  barely  have  nothing  more 
than  a  love  of  his  country  to  urge  him  to  the  task. 

The  great  and  crying  need  of  Virginia  now  is  not  so  much 
the  continuance  of  a  suicidal  strife  over  an  issue  already 
determined  by  the  highest  law  and  usage,  but  that  wo  should 
forget  all  animosities,  and  labor  together  to  build  up  and 
largely  enhance  the  financial  power  of  such  communities 
in  the  State  as  are  capable  of  further  development.  This  can 
be  done  by  showing  up  our  resources  in  a  proper  manner  ; 
thus  bringing  in  many  men  of  capital  to  willingly  help  us 
not  only  bear  our  burdens,  but  create  new  facilities  for  mak- 
ing money,  in  the  erection  of  furnaces,  etc.,  and  in  the  build- 


2  EESOURCES   OF   SOUTHWEST  VIEGINIA. 

ing  of  new  lines  of  railway.  It  is  not  any  attempt  at  proph- 
ecy to  say  that  the  financial  power  of  Southwestern  Vir- 
ginia and  of  the  James  River  Valley  in  ten  years  will  be  in- 
creased thirty-three  per  cent.  If  we  of  this  section  can  con- 
tribute anything  to  hasten  the  good  time,  why  then  let  us 
do  it.  The  facts  truthfully  stated,  a  picture  or  two  here  and 
there  of  the  fine  scenery,  a  measurement  now  and  then  of  the 
vast  mineral  veins  and  lodes  with  which  Nature  has  so  lav- 
ishly blessed  this  country,  and  an  earnest  endeavor  to  bury 
self  a  little  while,  and  resurrect  the  country,  will  do  the  work 
for  us. 

This  work,  then,  upon  the  resources  of  a  section  so  rich 
naturally,  needs  no  introduction,  other  than  an  apology  for 
the  great  imperfections  which  must  mark  an  attempt  to  treat 
so  important  a  subject  in  a  manner  it  deserves. 

Some  of  the  dear  friends  of  the  writer  desire  that  he  will 
use  the  occasion  to  express  his  views  upon  the  great  question 
which  is  said  to  have  such  a  bearing  upon  the  speedy  devel- 
opment of  the  massive  resources  described  in  this  volume  : 
namely,  that  of  the  tariff ;  but  he  begs  to  defer  such  a  dis- 
cussion to  a  more  suitable  occasion.  Likewise  it  has  been 
contended  that  the  great  purity  and  excellence  of  the  ores  of 
iron  described,  and  cheap  and  abundant  fuel,  mark  the  sec- 
tion as  the  one  to  which  the  attention  of  government  officials 
should  be  timely  directed,  in  anticipation  of  the  great  efforts 
likely  to  be  made  to  bring  up  the  naval  armament  of  the 
country  to  a  condition  of  high  efficiency  ;  but,  though  it  is  to 
be  regretted  that  such  friends  will  be  disappointed  here,  the 
waiter  begs  to  submit  the  impropriety  of  loading  the  book 
with  arguments  and  opinions  that  would  obscure  a  clear  view 
of  the  subjects  treated,  besides  creating  prejudices  in  ad- 
vance against  the  territory  described,  that  would  remand 
both  the  noble  area  thus  treatt-d  and  the  writer,  to  a  last- 
ing want  of  appreciation. 


MONTGOMERY  COUNTY. — GEOLOGY.  3 

MONTGOMERY  COUNTY. 

It  may  be  of  interest,  before  going  into  a  description  of 
Montgomery  County  as  it  now  looks  on  the  map,  to  revert  to 
its  earlier  history,  speaking  of  its  origin. 

Augusta  County,  which  once  contained  all  that  there  is 
now  of  Southwest  Virginia,  was  created  in  1738  from  Orange 
County,  a  scope  of  country  which  comprised  not  only  the 
territory  that  this  book  treats  of  in  Virginia,  but  the  whole 
of  the  State  of  Kentucky.  Bottetourt  County  came  next, 
being  taken  out  of  "  West  Augusta ; "  and  then,  in  1772, 
Fincastle  County  was  formed,  covering  our  ground.  A  short 
time  after,  in  1776,  the  county  of  Fincastle  was  extinguished 
by  the  formation  of  Washington,  Montgomery,  and  Kentucky 
counties,  the  last  comprising  the  present  State  of  Kentucky. 

It  is  needless  to  remind  many  of  the  readers  of  this  book, 
that  General  Washington,  when  he  spoke  of  the  possibility  of 
having  to  retreat  to  the  mountains  of  "  West  Augusta,"  al- 
luded to  the  chains  of  mountains  which  pass  through  the 
heart  of  Southwestern  Virginia. 

Montgomery,  shorn  of  much  of  its  original  territory  by  the 
formation  of  several  new  counties  on  every  side,  may  be  said, 
now,  to  lie  between  the  crest  of  the  Gap  or  Walker's  Moun- 
tain on  the  north,  and  Laurel  Ridge  and  Bent  Mountain  on 
the  south  ;  bounded  west,  practically,  by  New  and  Little 
Rivers,  and  east  by  no  very  marked  geological  data,  running 
parallel  with  the  line  between  it  and  Roanoke  County. 

Geology. 

The  geology  of  the  county  is  comprised  between  the 
Huronian  rocks,  lying  on  the  south,  and  the  proto-carbou- 
iferous  measures  toward  the  north  side,  inclusive. 

The  classification  of  the  rocks  and  the  divisions  between 
different  epochs  are  more  or  less  easily  defined,  with  the  ex- 


4:  MONTGOMEEY  COUNTY. — GEOLOGY. 

ception  of  some  of  tlie  limestones  in  the  valleys.  These  great 
masses  of  limestones,  which  are,  very  frequently,  indiscrimi- 
nately assigned  to  the  Trenton  sub-epoch,  are  almost  totally 
without  fossils  of  any  kind  ;  and,  but  for  their  known  rela- 
tion to  very  correctly  determined  data,  might  as  well  be  as- 
signed to  the  Eozoic  as  any  other  period,  so  far  as  fossils  are 
concerned.  They  lie  conformably  above  the  rocks  showing 
that  well-known  fossil  the  scolithus,  and  do  really  belong  to 
the  Calciferous  sub-epoch,  which  throughout  this  part  of 
Virginia  is  very  thick  ;  and  in  it  mainly  repose  the  thickest 
and  most  valuable  deposits  of  brown  iron,  zinc,  and  lead 
ores,  of  which  this  volume  is  likely  to  speak :  though  it  is 
by  no  means  to  be  understood  that  any  invidious  distinction 
is  being  attempted,  in  advance,  against  the  fine  brown  ores  in 
Numbers  YII.  and  VIII.  to  be  found  in  the  Gap  Mountain. 
It  is  not  here  assumed  that  there  are  no  Trenton  limestones 
in  this  section  of  Virginia  !  The  remarks  above  apply  to  the 
main  body  of  the  limestones  in  this  southwestern  extension 
of  the  Great  Valley  of  Virginia.  Underlying  the  north  base 
of  some  of  the  larger  mountains,  the  Trenton  is  very  well 
represented. 

The  cross  section  on  the  opposite  page,  twenty-two  miles 
in  length,  which  has  been  taken  across  the  county  from  south 
to  north,  may  lead  to  a  much  clearer  comprehension  of  its 
geology.  It  will  be  seen  from  an  examination  of  it  that 
the  Huronian  strata,  as  well  as  the  neighboring  rocks  of  the 
Potsdam  and  lower  part  of  the  Calciferous,  have  been  slightly 
overturned  toward  the  north,  or  partially  reversed  in  their 
true  order.  Next  to  these,  going  north,  are  the  great  lime- 
stones of  the  Calciferous,  carrying  us  over  the  great  iron, 
lead,  and  zinc  beds.  Proceeding  northward  over  a  repetition 
of  the  broken  Calciferous,  crossing  the  line  of  the  Atlantic, 
Mississippi  and  Ohio  Eailroad,  a  great  fault  is  encountered, 
which  repeats  itself  several  times  in  Southwestern  Virginia. 


MONTGOMERY  COUNTY. — GEOLOGY. 


i 


^ 
^ 

^ 


2^ 


Gap  on  Walkers  JiToUnlaim 

Poverty  Mdleif 
,,»>  Brush-  Mountain  .  '-^ 

Toms  Creek 
Valley  of'    Blackshurg 
Stroubles  Creek 

Prices  Mountain 


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Atlantic.Miss,& 
Ohio  R.K., 


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m  at 

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Pilot  Mountain 


BmshjCreck 


Laurel  ilidge. 


01 


6  MONTGOMEEY  CO. — GOLD-BEAPJNG  ROCKS. 

Tliat  is,  we  liave  the  rocks  of  the  Calciferous  brought  up  into 
contact  with  a  downthrow  of  the  proto-carboniferous,  or  lower 
coal  rocks.  Passing  this  fault,  the  measures  holding  the 
Price's  Mountain  coal  are  soon  encountered,  lying  in  the  shape 
of  an  anticlinal ;  then  the  limestones  of  the  beautiful  valley, 
watered  by  Tom's  Creek  and  Strouble's  Creek  principally ; 
then  the  Brush  Mountain  coal  measures.  After  which  the 
Clean  conglomerate, "underlaid  by  a  great  width  of  slates, 
shales,  and  sandstones,  through  the  entire  upper  petroleum 
rocks,  upturned  and  visible.  Then  reaching  the  base  of  Gap 
Mountain,  the  Marcellus  black  slates  and  shales,  under- 
laid by  occasional  beds  of  the  Corniferous,  the  Oriskany,  the 
lower  Helderberg,  the  Clinton,  and  the  Oneida  last.  These 
last  mentioned  of  the  Upper  Silurian,  outcropping  almost  in- 
variably on  the  southern  slope  of  the  mountain,  dip  at  angles 
varying  between  60^  and  30°  southwardly. 

BRUSH  CREEK. — GOLD-BEARING  ROCKS. 

The  south  side  of  the  county  is  marked,  as  we  have 
seen,  by  Huronian  strata.  These  rocks,  mainly  micaceous, 
felspathic,  and  chloritic,  banded  here  and  there  with  heavy 
dikes  of  quartz,  trend  N.  E.  and  S.  "W.  the  length  of  the 
county  on  that  side.  The  decomposition  of  these  rocks 
through  many  ages  has  not  only  left  a  good  soil  along  the 
valley  of  Brush  Creek,  but  now  the  people  of  that  region  are 
somewhat  excited  over  the  gold  which  is  being  found  along 
the  streams.  Whether  any  distinct  stratum  exists  with  well- 
marked  veins  of  the  precious  metal  has  not  yet  been  so  fully 
determined  as  desired.  The  washings  so  far  show  the  grav§l, 
etc.,  to  yield  about  33  pennyweights '  to  the  hand  per  day, 
with  rude  sluice  boxes.  These  same  strata  cross  the  South 
Fork  of  Koanoke  River,  about  the  line  between  Mont- 
gomery and  Floyd  Counties,  and  ought  there,  in  the  deeper 


MONTGOMERY   CO. — GOLD-BEARING   ROCKS.  7 

gorges,  to  yield  more  lieavily  tlian  auywliere  else.  To  speak 
more  to  tlie  point,  by  looking  at  the  general  map  accom- 
panying, Pilot  House  will  be  found  on  tlie  soutbern  side  of 
the  county  of  Montgomery  on  Brush  Creek.  Three  miles 
east  of  Pilot  House,  more  gold  has  been  washed  from  the 
gravel  and  other  detritus  than  at  any  other  point.  The  gold 
has  been  found  in  surface  washings  over  an  extent  of  country 
six  to  eight  miles  wide,  chiefly  in  quartz  dikes  in  mica  slates 
alternating  with  granite  which  is  occasionally  porphyri- 
tic.  The  dip  of  the  rocks  is  north  here,  but  on  the  south 
side  of  Laurel  Kidge  the  dip  is  the  other  way.  Gold 
has  been  found  in  very  handsome  quantities  on  Laurel 
Creek. 

The  rock  ledges  near  Pilot  House  are  granitic  next  to 
Pilot  Mountain  ;  near  the  foot  of  this  mountain,  next  to 
Brush  Creek,  hydro-mica  slates  come  in,  showing  here  and 
there  ledges  of  quartz,  one  of  which,  from  six  to  twelve  feet 
thick,  holds  the  most  of  the  much-talked-of  gold  of  Brush 
Creek.  Then  south  of  this  are  the  hydro-mica,  chloritic,  and 
schistose  bands,  which  are  again  repeated  in  Laurel  Ridge, 
giving  the  gold  again.  Then  again  on  Laurel  Creek  in  Floyd 
County. 

A  large  vein  of  pyrites,  containing  copper,  exists  undevel- 
oped in  this  valley,  as  well  as  lead  ore.  Occasional  frag- 
ments of  magnetite  are  also  found.  Next  to  the  north  is 
Pilot  3Iountain,  the  eastern  prolongation  of  Iron  Mountain, 
occupying  the  line  of  junction  between  the  Hurouiau  and 
Cambrian  rocks,  that  is  between  the  metamori)hic  and  more 
distinctly  fossiliferous,  such  as  the  Potsdam. 

This  mountain  is  cut  off  just  east  of  the  prominent  and 
well-known  peak  called  Fisher's  View,  by  the  south  fork  of 
Eoanoke  River,  and  rises  again  farther  east  in  a  series  of 
high  and  steep  spurs  known  as  Poor  and  Bent  Mountains. 
In  the  northern  escarpment  of  this  range;  is  tlie  division  be- 


8  MONTGOMEKY   CO. — BROWN   IRON   ORE. 

Ween  the  Potsdam  and  calciferous  sub-epoclis,  marked  by  a 
vein  of 

BROWN  IRON  ORE, 

trend  N.  E.,  from  15  to  30,  and  sometimes  100  feet  thick — 
a  decomposition  of  pyrites.  Here  and  there,  owing  to  end 
compressions  and  side  flexures,  this  vein  assumes  a  much 
greater  thickness.  For  instance,  a  flexure  in  the  Big  Bend 
of  Little  River,  near  Elliott's,  caused  the  vein  to  have  a 
measure  through  a  hill  of  about  300  feet.  This  mass  will 
yield  about  400,000  tons  of  ore  in  375  feet  length,  above 
water  level. 

To  attempt  to  estimate  the  quantity  this  vein  the  whole 
length  of  twenty  miles  in  the  county  would  yield,  would  be 
absurd.  Above  water  level  it  would  give  a  breast  of  several 
hundred  feet  elevation,  approaching  the  perpendicular  in 
attitude.  Near  Tice's  Mill,  South  Fork  of  Roanoke  River, 
the  comparatively  deep  gorge  takes  us  down  below  the  de- 
composed zone,  and  you  find  the  vein  of  j)yrites  nearly  100 
feet  thick. 

In  many  places  this  great  vein  is  charged  with  manganese 
to  such  an  extent  as  to  render  the  iron  made  from  it  very 
hard.  Here  and  there  it  is  phosphoretic ;  but  as  an  ore  for 
general  purposes,  to  be  mixed  with  other  ores,  it  is  very 
good.  Now  and  then  it  assumes  the  form  of  pipe  ore  in  some 
of  the  hills,  becoming  stalactitic  and  mamillary  in  form, 
and  these  ores  usually  are  among  the  best  in  the  great  Iron 
Belt. 

In  other  sections  there  are  generally  two  iron  veins  of 
lesser  thickness  between  the  one  just  described  and  the 
measures  holding  the  lead  and  zinc,  but  in  this  county  they 
are  not  so  distinct.  The  lead  and  zinc  are  not  more  than  900 
yards,  across  alternate  strata  of  red  and  gray  shales  and 
limestones,  northwardly  from  the  great  iron  vein  in  Mont- 


MONTGOMEEY  CO. — BROWN  lEON  ORE.  9 

gomery  County.  Beginning  at  Calfee's  in  Little  Eiver  Dis- 
trict, and  continuing  northeastwardly  through  the  mine 
opened  by  Col.  Langhorne  of  Shawsville,  are  here  and  there 
interesting  exposures  of  the  vein.  Proceeding  on  eastwardly 
toward  Big  Spring,  the  exact  locality  of  the  vein  is  lost  un- 
der the  great  amount  of  debris  in  the  foot  hills  of  the  higher 
mountains.  At  Calfee's  and  at  Colonel  Langhorne's  the  ex- 
posures made  show  the  vein  to  be  nearly  on  its  edge,  be- 
tween walls  of  limestone  from  9  to  12  feet  thick,  and  yielding 
very  handsome  s^Decimens  of  lead  suljphuret  and  zinc  blende 
and  carbonate. 

After  leaving  this  measure,  going  northwardly,  you  pass 
across  several  hundred  yards  of  Calciferous  red  slates  and 
shales  and  magnesian  rocks  ;  the  reds  now  and  then  giving 
fine  crystals  of  specular  red  iron  ore.  From  the  decomposi- 
tion of  these  rocks  must  result  a  great  part  of  the  irregular 
deposits  found  in  different  parts  of  the  limestone  valley 
farther  down  and  somewhat  north. 

The  limestones  toward  the  middle  N.  E.  and  S.  AV.  belt  of 
Montgomery  are  so  well  known  as  the  limestones  of  the 
Great  Valley  of  Virginia  as  not  to  require  any  great  amount 
of  description.  In  them  occur  beds  and  deposits  of  brown 
iron  ores.  In  one  series  about  three  miles  south  of  the  At- 
lantic, Mississippi  and  Ohio  Kailroad,  which  runs  east  and 
west  through  the  middle  of  the  county,  there  are  surface 
indications  of  magnetic  ore.  It  has  not  yet  been  developed. 
Just  south  of  this  line  is  a  series  of  easily  decomposed 
limestones,  running  the  length  of  the  county,  from  which  has 
resulted  a  great  deal  of  crystalline  lime  carl)onato,  some- 
times having  the  appearance  and  texture  of  Mexican  onyx. 

North  of  the  line  of  the  A.M.  and  O.  K.  II. "■  the  fault  is 
Boon  encountered  wliicli  separates  the  groat  valley  lime- 
stones from  the  coal  rocks  of  the  western  end  (jf  the  county 

*  Since  the  bonk  lias  been  in  press,  this  roud  bus  passed  into  the  hands  of 
the  "  Norfolk  and  Western  Railroad." 


,10  MONTGOMERY  CO. — THE   YALLEY   OF   BLACKSBUEG. 

and  from  tlie  Devonian  limestones,  slates,  sliales,  etc.,  of 
the  eastern  end,  wliicli  correspond  in  position  to  tlie  coal 
rocks. 

In  tliis  line  of  Devonian  Kocks  occur  tlie  celebrated 
springs  of  Montgomery,  witli  tlie  exception  of  Alleghany 
Springs,  wliicli  are  situated  at  the  base  of  the  mountains, 
holding  the  earlier  formations,  on  the  south  side  of  the 
above-named  railroad.  Of  all  these  mention  will  be  made 
in  detail  presently. 

The  coal  rocks,  which  begin  to  show  in  the  southern  spurs 
of  Price's  Mountain,  three  miles  N.  TV.  of  Christiansburg,  on 
the  lands  of  Kyle  and  others,  belong  to  the  earlier  sub-car- 
boniferous, or  proto- carboniferous  ;  and,  for  that  side  of 
Price's  Mountain,  while  here  and  there  sufficiently  regular  to 
yield  a  good  return  for  mining,  it  is  not  until  you  reach  the 
northern  escarpment  of  this  mountain  and  the  southern  side 
of  Brush  Mountain,  inclosing  the  valley  of  Blacksburg,  that 
you  reach  the  better  areas. 

THE   VALLEY   OF  BLACKSBURG. 

Among  the  mere  exhibitions  of  beautiful  landscape  scenery, 
presented  so  frequently  to  the  eye  in  traveling  over  South- 
west Virginia,  perhaps  no  scope  of  the  whole  extent  will  so 
forcibly  remind  the  beholder  of  a  fine  English  landscape  as 
the  valley  of  Blacksburg  :  swelling  and  undulating  grassy 
meadows  and  grain  fields,  relieved  by  occasional  extensive 
areas  of  woodland,  in  which  the  oak  almost  invariably  out- 
numbers all  other  trees  put  together ;  numerous  streams, 
flowing  from  sj)rings  in  the  limestone,  sometimes  so  bold  as 
to  afford  power  sufficient  to  run  a  grist-mill  within  a  few 
hundred  yards  of  the  source  ;  mountain  chains,  on  the  north 
and  south,  with  its  western  limits  defined  by  a  broad  and 
beautiful  river. 


MONTGOilEEY   CO. — THE  VALLEY  OF  BLACKSBURG. 


11 


Olenn 
Conglomerate 

"Brush 
Mountain 


/OUTSROP^  OF-OOAU 


o 


s  CveeJe 


16  8  as.e 


["Moip  so^soutrt 


M.as  w 


Stroblcs  Creek 


Hoantian^ 


12        MONTGOMERY  CO. — BLACKSBURG  COLLEGE. 

BLACKSBURG  COLLEGE. 

In  this  valley,  near  its  eastern  side,  are  tlie  town  of  Blacks- 
burg,  and  that  State  institution  of  learning  known  as  "  The 
Agricultural  and  Mechanical  College."  The  reader,  it  is 
hoped,  will  excuse  us  for  a  moment,  if  we  delay  the  discus- 
sion of  the  geology  of  this  remarkable  section,  in  order  to 
say  a  word  concerning  Blacksburg  College.  This  college, 
erected  by  the  State  at  a  time  when  her  financial  embarrass- 
ments were  such  as  to  render  it  impossible  for  her  to  put 
enough  money  into  it  to  either  complete  it  in  a  manner  to 
meet  the  objects  for  which  it  was  organized,  or  to  maintain 
it  properly  when  so  built,  has  practically  proven  the  grave 
of  an  estimable  faculty.  Without  wasting  more  time  upon 
the  discussion  of  disagreeable  matters,  it  is  a  question 
whether  or  not  it  would  be  advisable  for  the  State  to  con- 
sider the  propriety  of  turning  this  college  into  an  asylum  of 
some  sort — an  institution  which  she  has  also  been  trvinsr  to 
secure — to  be  located  in  that  part  of  the  State ;  and  then, 
taking  advantage  of  the  fact  that  Emory  and  Henry  College 
owes  the  State  a  large  sum  of  money,  to  buy  out  that  institu- 
tion with  this  debt  and  the  proceeds  of  the  sale  of  the  State 
farm  at  Blacksburg  ;  thus  not  only  securing  the  admirable 
grounds  and  buildings  of  Emory  and  Henry  College,  but 
rendering  it  possible  to  make  up  such  a  faculty  out  of  the 
two  schools  combined  as  will  make  an  entire  success,  as  a 
whole,  out  of  the  two,  whose  hope  of  a  successful  future 
apart  is  entirely  chimerical. 

If  such  a  solution  is  possible,  Blacksburg  and  vicinity  in 
the  matter  of  dollars  and  cents  must  be  gainers  by  the 
change.  The  overcrowded  condition  of  the  asylums  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  State  would  render  it  necessary  to  send 
more  persons  there  to  consume  the  produce  of  the  surround- 
ing country  than  they  now  have  to  supply  at  the  college,  or 


MONTGOMERY  CO. — BLACKBSUEG   COLLEGE.  13 

are  likely  to  have  for  many  years  to  come.  On  tlie  other 
hand,  Emoiy  being  now  brought  down  in  the  number  of  its 
students  by  the  erection  of  Yanderbilt  Uniyersity  and  other 
colleges  west,  after  becoming  a  State  institution,  under  this 
plan,  would  have  a  great  accession  in  numbers  in  the  State 
students,  as  well  as  many  others  attracted  by  the  greater 
facilities  for  a  liberal  and  cheap  education  it  would  then  pre- 
sent, compared  with  its  present  status. 

To  those  interested,  who  will  follow  this  line  of  reasoning 
out  in  all  its  bearings,  it  must  be  evident  that  on  all  sides 
there  would  be  great  gain  to  State,  to  faculties,  and  the 
public.  ...  To  resume  the  geological  features  again, 
this  valley  of  Blacksburg  presents  quite  an  interesting  prob- 
lem to  scientific  men  in  her  coal  field.  Do  the  coal  meas- 
ures which  outcrop  on  either  side  of  this  valley  form  a 
lenticular  basin  underlying  the  valley,  or  is  it  broken  in  the 
middle  by  an  intrusion  of  silurian  limestones  from  below  ? 
Let  us  here  insert  an  accurate  cross  section,  taken  directly 
across  the  valley,  to  assist  in  the  discussion,  a  distance  of 
just  3.34  miles  from  outcrop  on  the  south  side  to  the  corre- 
sponding strata  on  the  north  side. 

It  has  been  assumed  by  Professor  Lesley,  of  Pennsylvania 
Geological  Survey,  that  the  limestone  in  the  valley  is  lower 
silurian  ;  consequently,  that  there  has  been  such  a  disturb- 
ance of  the  earth's  crust  as  to  force  a  great  fragment  of  this 
limestone  into  a  rent  made  in  the  coal  formation.  This  may 
be  true  ;  but  a  very  close  examination  has  reduced  the  proba- 
ble lateral  thickness  of  this  limestone  of  the  lower  rocks  to 
only  one  mile  or  less.  Beginning  at  the  outcrop  of  the  coal 
on  the  south  or  Price's  Mountain  side,  G,000  feet  were  meas- 
ured before  the  coal  rocks,  which  could  be  identified  with 
some  certainty,  were  j^assed ;  and  then  on  the  north  side, 
witliin  about  G,000  feet  of  the  outcrop  in  Brush  Mountain, 
a  repetition  of  the    same    rocks,  dipping  southwardly,  was 


14  MONTGOMERY  CO. — BLACKSBUEG  COLLEGE. 

encountered,  making  12,000  feet  out  of  17,625  feet,  wliicli  was 
tlie  wliole  length  from  one  coal  outcrop  to  the  other  of  the 
basin,  toward  the  center  of  which  the  coal  dips  from  each 
side. 

The  general  absence  of  abundant  fossil  remains  in  the 
limestones  so  far  as  you  can  see  them  would  naturally  lead 
to  the  belief  that  they  belong  very  low  down  in  the  order  of 
true  position ;  but  they  may  belong  to  that  class  of  rocks 
which  are  formed  as  a  precipitate  sometimes  in  waters 
rather  too  deep  for  animal  life  of  any  kind.  In  that  case 
they  may  as  well  be  referred  to  one  age  as  another.  After 
a  tolerably  diligent  search  there  were  a  few  fossil  remains 
found,  but  too  indistinct  to  be  regarded  as  positive  evidence. 
Remains  of  what  was  without  doubt  either  a  McLurea,  a 
Goniatites  or  Clymenia  were  found  as  you  approach  the 
northern  side  of  the  valley,  while  on  the  southern  side  some 
of  the  limestone  was  brecciated  with  distinct  crystals  of 
gypsum,  an  almost  conclusive  proof  of  their  being  Carbon- 
iferous ;  with  a  considerable  measure  of  these  limestones  not 
only  lying  conformably  upon  the  well-recognized  red  and 
gray  shales  of  the  coal  measures,  but  differing  very  materi- 
ally in  structure  from  those  near  the  center  of  the  valley. 
They  were  crypto-crystalline  over  much  of  the  ground  where 
much  exposed,  as  though  they  had  been  largely  composed  of 
fragments  of  gypsum  which  had  decomposed  and  passed 
away  in  solution,  leaving  the  mass  full  of  cells.  But  it  is  not 
proposed  to  render  any  decision  here,  or  to  prolong  the  dis- 
cussion to  the  exclusion  of  other  matter  which  may  be  more 
agreeable  to  the  reader ;  but  it  is  a  question  submitted  to 
men  of  science  as  to  whether  this  is  a  true  basin  or  not. 
If  it  is  broken  how  is  the  intrusion  of  the  lower  rocks  into  so 
small  an  aperture,  comparatively,  withoiit  bringing  along 
with  them  much  of  the  intervening  formations,  to  be  ac- 
counted for  ?     Industrially,  these  coals  are  valuable.     Four 


MONTGOMERY  CO. — BLACKSBUEG  COLLEGE.  15 

veins,  tlie  larger  having  fifty-four  inches  of  good  coal,  in  a 
vein  nearly  nine  feet  thick,  the  smaller  two  and  one-half  feet 
of  good  coal  in  a  vein  three  feet  thick ;  the  smaller  being 
much  more  bituminous  than  the  larger,  which  is  an  anthra- 
cite coal. 

These  veins  lie  very  much  as  represented  in  the  cross  sec- 
tion, coming  in  again  on  the  south  side  of  the  anticlinal 
formed  by  Price's  Mountain.  In  Brush  Mountain  the  most 
satisfactory  measurements  were  taken  at  the  Kinser  Bank 
and  at  the  Faulkner  Hollow.  In  Price's  Mountain,  Bruce' s 
Mine  gave  the  most  accessible  openings.  From  these  meas- 
urements the  identity  of  the  veins  was  established,  and  as 
they  varied  so  little  at  different  points,  it  may  safely  be  as- 
sumed that  the  measures  given  are  the  proper  ones  upon 
■which  to  base  calculations  as  to  quantity. 

These  two  veins,  the  only  ones  of  any  consequence,  are 
much  broken  up  and  disturbed  from  New  Eiver,  going 
east,  some  distance  beyond  Poverty  Gap,  leaving  ten  miles 
length,  however,  of  regular  measures,  beginning  as  you  ap- 
proach Price's  Mill,  and  becoming  broken  again  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  Blacksburg  :  ten  miles  on  either  side — both  Brush 
Mountain  and  Price's  Mountain.  These  veins  will  average 
at  their  outcrops  180  feet  above  water  level  in  Tom's  and 
Strouble's  creeks,  judging  from  careful  barometric  reading — 
average  dip  25° — giving  42G  feet  on  the  length  of  the  incline. 
Specific  gravity  being  1.65,  the  quantity  in  the  larger  vein 
above  water  level  in  these  creeks  will  be  found  to  be  over 
4,600,000  tons  on  each  side  of  the  valley  ;  deducting  ono-tliird 
for  space  taken  up  by  ravines  and  loss  from  handling,  there 
would  be  3,000,000  of  tons  for  shipment.  In  the  three  foct 
vein,  as  remarked  above,  there  Avill  be  two  and  one-half  feet 
of  coal  of  a  more  bituminous  character;  this  will  yichl  f<>r 
each  side  in  the  same  distance  over  2,500,000  tons  above 
water  in  the  same  creeks,  or  over  1,600,000  tons  for  shipment. 


16  MONTGOMERY  CO. — COAL  FORMATION. 

There  would  be  yet  remaining  the  coal  below  water  level, 
which  would  run  on  the  inclination,  or  dip,  of  the  veins  at 
least  5,000  feet  on  each  side  of  the  valley,  and  would  yield 
a  tonnage  more  than  ten  times  as  great  as  that  enumerated 
above.  Other  parts  of  these  veins  will  yield  many  hundreds 
of  thousands  of  tons,  both  as  you  approach  New  River,  and  as 
you  go  toward  the  valley  of  the  North  Fork  of  the  Roanoke  ; 
but  those  sections,  as  well  as  the  south  side  of  Price's  Moun- 
tain, will  never  be  regarded  as  reliable  as  that  from  which 
the  above  calculations  were  made. 

The  analysis  of  these  coals  may  not  be  uninteresting  : 
Coal  from  the  large  vein  analyzed  by  J.  M.  Safford,  State 
treologist  of  Tennessee,  in  1876,  gave  the  following  results  : 

Moisture 0.89 

Volatile  matter 7.82 

Fixed  carbon 67.29 

Ash  of  grayish  color 24.00 

100.00 

Mr.  Safford  declares  it  an  anthracite. 

The  coal  of  the  smaller  vein,  analyzed  in  1876,  in  the 
laboratory  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  by  George  A. 
Koenig,  Ph.D.,  professor  of  metallurgy  and  apj^lied  chemis- 
try, gave  the  following  results : 

Moisture  at  140°  C 0.20 

Gas  given  out  by  heating  to  a  yellow-red 

heat  one  hour 27.44 

Fixed  carbon 57.92 

Ashes  (white)   14.34 

Sulphur 0.10 

100.00 


MONTGOMERY  CO. — PO\-ERTY  VALLEY  AND   GAP  MOUNTAIN.     17 

Tliis  chemist  places  this  coal  in  the  dry  semi-bituminous 
class.  The  luliole  quantity  of  the  coal  removed  from  these 
veins  does  not  exceed  50,000  tons  to  date. 

The  average  quantity  per  year  is  about  1,700  tons. 

THE   MILLSTONE   GRIT. 

The  millstone  grit,  nowhere  more  than  245  feet  thick,  is 
■well  exposed  in  Brush  Mountain,  near  Price's  Mill ;  several 
ledges  of  it  there  yield  a  stone  from  which  millstones  have 
been  made  for  many  years.  These  millrocks  have  even  been 
used  with  satisfaction  in  the  large  mills  at  Richmond  ;  and 
would,  no  doubt,  form  the  basis  of  a  large  business,  if  there 
was  a  railroad  passing  by.  Between  this  millstone  grit  and 
the  coal  there  is  a  ledge  of  conglomerate,  the  pebbles  of 
which  yield  a  low  percentage  of  silver  upon  analysis. 

POVERTY  VALLEY   AND   GAP  MOUNTAIN. 

Passing  then  into  the  valley  next  Gap  Mountain,  nothing 
of  note  is  encountered  until  you  reach  the  limestone  of  the 
Lower  Helderberg  group,  which  will  be  valuable  for  furnace 
use.  It  sometimes  contains  small  quantities  of  blue  lead 
ore.  Close  to  this  going  north,  as  you  ascend  the  Gap 
Mountain,  is  the  remarkable  ledge  of  brown  weathered-look- 
ing sandstone,  which  all  through  this  section  is  an  iron  and 
sometimes  a  manganese-bearing  rock.  Frequently  the  sand- 
stone gives  way  entirely  to  a  limonite  highly  prized  by  iron 
men,  making  the  Oriskany  an  exceedingly  valuable  member  of 
the  series.  In  this  particular  the  Oriskany  has  great  supe- 
riority over  the  Clinton  in  this  vicinity.  The  Clinton  or 
Dyestone  ore  here  docs  not  soem  to  have  the  character 
possessed  by  the  same  measures  in  Poor  Valley  llidgo,  Lee 
County. 

Now  let  us  revert  to  the  mineral  springs,  after  stating  in 


18  MONTGOMEKT   CO. — DE.  GENTH's   ANALYSIS. 

brief  tliat  tlie  nortlieastern  quarter  or  division  of  tlie  county 
is  composed  mainly  of  Devonian  rocks,  on  tlie  waters  of  the 
North  Fork  of  Roanoke  River,  inclosing  Lewis  Mountain ; 
with  the  exception  of  the  north  bend  of  the  above  stream, 
which  is  of  lower  limestone  lying  next  to  the  proto-carbon- 
iferous  rocks  in  that  extension  of  Brush  Mountain. 

MINERAL   SPEINGS. 

Alleghany  Springs  are  very  pleasantly  situated  on  the 
south  bank  of  the  Roanoke  River,  three  and  one-half  miles 
south  of  Alleghany  Depot,  a  station  on  the  Atlantic,  Missis- 
sippi and  Ohio  Railroad.  These  springs  may  justly  be  ranked 
among  the  most  excellent  and  desirable  summer  resorts  in 
Virginia.  The  waters  are  highly  medicinal  in  their  charac- 
ter, judging  from  the  following  thorough  analysis  : 

DR.  GENTH's  analysis. 

"  According  to  my  analysis,  the  composition  of  the  water 
from  the  Alleghany  Springs  is  as  follows  : 

"One  Gallon,  70,000  Grains,  Contains 


Sulphate  of  Magnesia 50.884290  grains 

do.  Lime 115.290423  " 

do.  Soda 1.717959  " 

do.  Potassa 3.699081  " 

Carbonate  of  Copper 0.000359  " 

do.  Lead 0.000569  " 

do.  Zinc 0.001713  " 

do.  Iron 0.157049  " 

do.  Manganese 0.060617  " 

do.  Lime 3.61.3209  " 

do.  Magnesia 0.362362  " 

do.  Strontia 0.0605.36  " 

do.  Baryta 0.022404  " 

do.  Lithia 0.001679  " 

Solid  ingredients  by  direct  evaporation  gave  184.072000 

Half  combined  carbonic  acid 1.885.526 

Free  carbonic  acid 5.45.5726 

Hydro-sulphuric  acid 0.001339 


Nitrate  of  Magnesia 3.219562  grains 

do.        Ammonia 0.559412       " 

Phosphate  of  Alumina 0.025549       " 

Silicate  of  Alumina 0.207399 

Fluoride  of  Calcium 0.022858 

Chloride  of  Sodium 0.274676       " 

Silicic  Acid 0.882782       " 

CrenicAcid 0.001921 

Apocrenic  Acid 0.000192       " 

other  Organic  Matter 1.999121       " 

Carbonate  of  Cobalt . .  I  ^n 

f  1  races. 
Teroxide  of  Antimony  ) 

18:3.069321  grains 


Total  amount  of  ingredients 190.411912       " 


MONTGOMERY  CO. — DE.  GENTH's  ANALYSIS.  19 

"  TVitli  regard  to  tlie  naedicinal  qualities  of  tliis  mineral 
water,  I  beg  leave  to  copy  a  few  passages  from  a  letter  of 
Ch.  Cocke,  M.D.,  a  gentleman  who  has  made  for  a  number  of 
3^ears  a  series  of  observations  of  its  healing  qualities,  and  has 
furnished  me  with  information  on  this  subject.  He  says:  'I 
have  spent  a  portion  of  six  seasons  at  the  Alleghany  Springs 
— the  two  first  for  the  cure  of  an  inveterate  case  of  dyspepsia 
of  twenty-five  years'  standing — the  stomach  being  the  chief 
seat  of  the  disease,  with  many  sympathetic  aflfections,  such  as 
nervous  headache,  palpitation  of  the  heart,  etc.  TJie  cure  was 
perfect. '' 

******* 

"  *  In  short,  I  have  never  met  with  a  case  of  derangement 
of  the  digestive  organs  (where  the  waters  were  properly  used 
with  the  necessary  perseverance)  that  was  not  cured  or  greatly 
relieved,  except  where  the  patient  was  far  gone  in  consump- 
tion— a  complication  of  diseases  by  no  means  rare.' 

******* 

"  The  numerous  ingredients  found  in  the  water  of  the 
Alleghany  Springs,  in  small  quantities,  in  connection  with 
the  more  active  salts  of  lime  and  magnesia,  must  certainly 
produce  decided  efiects,  and  in  combination  with  tlie  delight- 
ful climate,  fresh  air,  and  exercise,  cannot  helj)  but  have  a 
highly  beneficial  influence  in  many  afibctions  of  invalids. 

"  (Signed)  F.  A.  Genth." 

A  stay  at  these  springs  has  often  proved  highly  beneficial 
to  those  who  have  become  debilitated  from  any  cause.  A 
most  liealthy  desire  for  food  is  one  of  the  marked  cfft^cts,  and 
with  it  that  most  grateful  feeling  i)roducod  by  a  restored 
power  of  digestion  which  all  mere  appetizers  cannot  claim. 

This  condition,  however,  may  be  owing  to  the  pure  uml 
wonderfully  bracing  atmospliere  of  the  place,  seeming  ever  to 


20  MONTGOMERY  CO. — DR.  GENTH'S  ANALYSIS. 

be  renewed  and  freshened  by  contact  with  the  lofty  moun- 
tains stretching  away  for  miles  in  the  background. 

As  to  its  natural  beauty !  It  is  picturesque  and  romantic 
in  the  highest  degree !  No  lover  of  the  beautiful  in  nature 
could  fail  to  be  deeply  thrilled  with  the  almost  perfect  har- 
mony in  every  feature  of  the  noble  landscape,  presented  by 
the  grounds  and  buildings  of  the  springs,  in  their  setting  of 
wooded  hills  and  mountains — the  mountains  rearing  their 
towering  summits,  plumed  here  and  rock-covered  there,  far 
into  the  unlimited  space  above,  as  if  wooing  the  soft  embrace 
of  the  fleeting  clouds.  In  its  front  flows  the  never-failing 
South  Fork  of  the  Eoanoke,  washing  the  foot  of  the  lawn, 
fresh  from  more  than  a  thousand  crystal  springs,  dancing  to 
its  own  sweet  music,  as  it  rapidly  descends  over  boulder  and 
pebble.  It  may  be  as  well  that  we  have  no  sketch  of  these 
springs,  for  no  pencil  could  portray  on  p.aper  the  charming 
picture. 

Near  to  these  sj)rings  is  the  fine  scenery  afibrded  by  the 
mountain  streams  in  their  rapid  descent  through  the  deep 
gorges  —  Styles'  Falls  of  fifty  feet.  Puncheon  Eun  Falls  of 
three  hundred  and  fifty  feet  at  the  steepest,  with  much  of  it 
a  cascade  coming  down  a  thousand  feet.  Add  to  these,  two 
falls  on  this  fork  of  Eoanoke  Eiver,  which  will  have  to  be  de- 
scribed in  the  scenery  of  Floyd  County,  the  Beatrice  and 
Prince  Imperial,  and. you  have  a  group  of  attractions  very 
rare  to  occur  in  so  short  a  distance  of  each  other.  It  is  sel- 
dom that  two  streams  unite  in  the  manner  presented  by  the 
South  Fork  coming  over  Beatrice  Falls  eighty  feet,  forming  a 
basin  at  its  foot,  into  which  a  smaller  stream  pours  its  waters 
two  hundred  feet  over  the  Prince  Imperial. 

Space  and  our  feeble  powers  alike  forbid  us  to  attempt  a 
description  of  all  this  scenery.  Nature  will  not  fail  to  im- 
press any  who  may  visit  these  places  with  their  exceeding 
beauty  more  than  their  awful  grandeur.     To  see  them  is  to 


MONTGOMERY  CO. — THE  YELLOW  SULPHUR  SPRINGS.  21 

read  wliat  nature  has  written  in  a  language  no  pen  can  de- 
scribe nor  pencil  portray. 

THE  MONTGOMERY  WHITE  SULPHUR  SPRINGS. 

These  springs  derive  their  waters  from  Devonian  lime- 
stones, just  about  the  line  of  the  great  fault.  The  grounds 
and  buildings  are  situated  in  a  very  attractive  spot,  about 
one  and  three-quarter  miles  north  of  the  Big  Tunnel,  a  station 
on  the  Atlantic,  Mississippi  and  Ohio  Railroad,  with  which 
they  are  connected  by  a  narrow-gauge  railroad.  All  that  can 
be  said  of  pure  air,  mountain  scenery,  and  excellent  diet  may 
very  well  be  applied  to  this  locality.  The  waters  are  of  sev- 
eral kinds — three  bold  sulphur  springs,  one  chalybeate,  and 
a  freestone  spring,  besides  limestone  water  in  abundance. 
The  handsome  pavilions  over  the  marble  reservoirs,  in  wliich 
most  of  these  waters  are  caught,  are  not  the  least  attractive 
feature  of  these  springs.  It  is  claimed  that  the  hotels  and 
cottages  here  will  accommodate  one  thousand  guests,  and 
that  they  are  well  supplied  with  that  great  luxury  absent  at 
many  places — bath-rooms. 

In  this  vicinity,  on  a  stream  running  into  the  North  Fork 
of  Roanoke  River,  are  the  Dudley  Falls,  a  beautiful  cas- 
cade ninety  feet  high,  where  the  limestone  water,  agitated  in 
its  descent,  has  deposited  in  so  many  years  great  masses  of 
tufa.  On  the  North  Fork  of  Roanoke  River,  easily  accessible 
to  these  springs,  are  many  wild  and  romantic  dolls.  In  all 
these  places  in  summer,  or  when  the  trees  are  loaded  with 
the  frosts  of  winter,  there  is  a  distinct  charm  that  impresses 
every  lover  of  nature. 

THE  YELLOW   SULPHUR  SPRINGS. 

The  fine  mineral  spring  to  which  this  ])lace  owes  its  repu- 
tation is  situated  also  in  the  general  line  of  the  great  fault 


22  MONTGOMERY  CO. — THE  YELLOW  SULPHUR  SPRINGS. 

before  alluded  to,  and  may  derive  its  waters  from  the  mate- 
rials comiDosing  tlie  earlier  as  well  as  the  Devonian  lime- 
stones. 

The  site  for  its  grounds  and  buildings  was  well  selected  in 
a  wooded  glen,  about  three  and  a  half  miles  northwardly 
from  Christiansburg  Depot,  on  the  Atlantic,  Mississij)pi  and 
Ohio  Railroad,  at  an  elevation  of  about  two  thousand  feet 
above  the  sea.  It  is  in  full  view  of  fine  mountain  scenery, 
besides  possessing  a  spring,  the  waters  from  which  have  few 
rivals  and  no  superior  as  a  curative  agent  in  many  of  the 
most  distressing  complaints  to  which  frail  humanity  is  sub- 
jected. In  cases  of  ulceration,  scrofula,  and  debility  from 
whatever  cause,  the  cures  said  to  have  been  effected  by  this 
water  are  marvelous.  An  analysis,  as  given  by  Col.  Wm. 
GiLHAJVi,  late  professor  of  chemistry  at  the  Virginia  Military 
Institute,  gave  the  following  results,  which  are  not  only  inter- 
esting to  the  physician,  but  to  the  scientific,  as  showing  the 
materials  of  the  rocks  from  which  the  spring  derives  its 
elements : 

Carbonic  acid 9.360  grains. 

Sulphuric  acid 53.383  " 

Phosphoric  acid 0.013  " 

Magnesia 7.723  " 

Lime 32.150  " 

Oxide  of  iron 0.432  " 

Alumina 1.729  " 

Potassa 0.119  " 

Soda 0.359  " 

Chlorine 0.092  " 

Organic  extractive  matter 3.733  " 


'O" 


These  substances,  existing  in  the  water,  give  rise  to  car- 
bonates, sulphates,  phosphates,  and  chlorides,  as  follows  : 


MONTGOMEEY  CO. — TOTTOS  AND  VILLAGES. 


23 


Carbonate  of  lime 8.642  grains. 

"   magnesia 1.389 

"  "   protoxide  of  iron 0.617 

Free  carbonic  acid 4.680 

Sulphate  of  lime 63.302 

"  magnesia 21.098 

"        "  alumina 3.176 

"  potassa 0.107 

"        "  soda 0.750 

PLospliate  of  lime 0.015 

"  "  magnesia 0.011 

Chloride  of  potassium 0.097 

"  sodium 0.076 

Organic  extractive  matter 3.733 

Protoxide  of  iron Traces. 

"This  water  contains  an  unusual  amount  of  sulphuric 
acid." 

There  are  many  fine  mineral  springs  in  different  parts  of 
this  county.  So  many  indeed  that  the  majority  of  them 
must  always  remain  unknown  to  fame. 

All  of  the  above-named  springs  have  telegraphic  communi- 
cations with  all  points. 


TOWNS  AND  YILLxVGES. 

Christiansburg,  near  the  center  of  the  county,  on  the  At- 
lantic, Mississippi  and  Ohio  Eailroad,  is  a  jDlace  of  about 
one  thousand  or  twelve  hundred  inhabitants,  including  the 
suburb  at  the  depot,  which  has  a  special  name  and  a  sepa- 
rate post-office  called  Bangs. 

Here  is  situated  the  county  court-house,  containing  the 
records  of  a  great  part  of  Southwestern  Virginia.  There  are 
quite  a  number  of  hotels,  stores,  and  establishments  for  the 


24  MONTGOMERY  CO. — CENTRAL  DEPOT. 

manufactory  of  saddlery,  tin  ware,  boots  and  slioes,  etc. 
Here  is  located  the  office  of  an  enterprising  and  excellent 
journal,  TM  Montgomery  Messenger,  devoted  to  the  im- 
provement of  its  section.  There  are  churches  of  the  various 
denominations,  and  schools  both  public  and  private. 

The  female  schools  are  somewhat  noted  throughout  this 
region  as  being  organized  on  a  higher  basis  than  is  usual  in 
country  towns. 

BLACKSBURG. 

This  village  has  already  been  mentioned  as  being  situated 
toward  the  eastern  end  of  the  valley  of  Blacksburg.  It  is 
a  place  of  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  inhabitants,  and  is 
now  noted  as  being  the  location  of  the  Blacksburg  Agri- 
cultural and  Mechanical  College,  an  unfortunate  institution, 
the  child  of  our  good  old  mother,  Virginia,  during  the  time 
of  the  great  prostration,  consequent  upon  the  event  of  the 
"  late  unpleasantness,"  and  could  not,  reasonably,  be  a  very 
vigorous  institution. 

This  village  is  pleasantly  situated,  and  would  of  itself 
form  a  delightful  summer  resort,  surrounded  on  all  sides 
with  rolling  grass  and  grain  fields,  dotted  here  and  there 
with  handsome  residences. 

CENTRAL  DEPOT 

t 

Is  situated  on  New  Kiver,  toward  the  western  limit  of 
the  county.  This  point  is  one  of  much  importance  in  the 
county,  as  having  a  great  part  of  the  repair  shops  of  the 
Atlantic,  Mississippi  and  Ohio  Railroad.  Here  is  a  large 
round-house,  and  a  lay-over  station  for  engines,  engine-men, 
conductors,  etc.  It  of  course  affords  a  very  nice  little  mar- 
ket for  much  country  produce.  There  are  churches,  stores, 
hotels,  etc. 


MONTGOMEEY  CO. — PUBLIC  SCHOOLS.  25 

ALLEGHANY  STATION, 

On  the  Atlantic,  Mississippi  and  Ohio  Railroad,  is  a  small 
place,  as  you  approach  the  eastern  side  of  the  county.  It 
is  situated  in  quite  a  tobacco  producing  section,  and  is  of 
some  importance  as  a  shipper  of  that  article.  It  likewise 
has  stores  and  a  church  close  by.  It  is  the  landing-place  of 
visitors  to  the  Alleghany  Springs.  Near  to  this  is  an  open- 
ing on  the  zinc  and  lead  vein. 

BIG  SPRING. 

This  place  takes  its  name  from  a  limestone  spring  of  ex- 
traordinary volume,  which  rises  close  by,  and  flows  into  the 
South  Fork  of  Eoanoke  River,  upon  the  south  side  of  which 
stream  Big  Spring  (the  station  on  the  Atlantic,  Mississippi 
and  Ohio  Railroad)  is  situated.  This  place  is  verj^  attrac- 
tive to  persons  seeking  an  excellent  summer  resort.  The 
clear  water,  fine  air,  noble  sugar-trees,  and  high  mountains, 
with  splendid  fare  at  the  hotel,  render  it  very  inviting. 

There  are  several  stores,  and  a  factory  for  making  lathes, 
upon  which  to  turn  wagon,  carriage,  and  buggy  spokes.  The 
enterprising  proprietor  and  inventor  of  this  machine,  Mr. 
Coffee,  takes  great  pride  in  showing  the  machine  at  work, 
turning  out  two  spokes  per  minute. 

LAFAYETTE 

Is  an  ancient  village  at  the  junction  of  the  North  and 
South  Forks  of  Roanoke  River,  close  to  the  eastern  bound- 
ary line.  It  has  one  or  two  stores,  a  church  near,  and  a  fine 
flouring-mill. 

PUBLIC   SCHOOLS. 

According  to  the  recent  report  of  Dn.  Ruffner,  Superin- 
tendent of  Public  Education,  the  public  schools  of  Mont- 
gomery are  improving.     Tliere  are  thirty-nine  white  schools, 


26  MONTGOMEEY  CO. — TIMBEE. 

and  nine  colored.  For  these  there  are  thirty-nine  -white 
teachers  and  nine  colored  teachers.  Upon  these  schools 
there  are  in  daily  attendance  about  eight  hundred  white 
children  and  two  hundred  and  fifty  colored. 

At  Christiansburg  and  Bangs  there  are  two  graded  schools, 
one  for  white,  the  other  for  colored  students.  The  white 
school  is  one  of  sis  grades,  the  colored  of  two.  The  average 
daily  attendance  of  the  white  school  is  twenty ;  of  the  col- 
ored, one  hundred  and  twenty. 

PRODUCTION  OF  CATTLE,   SHEEP,  WHEAT,   CORN,  AND  TOBACCO. 

This  county  is  divided  into  several  sections,  of  totally  dif- 
ferent agricultural  capacity,  by  the  different  geological  form- 
ations. 

Those  parts  which  are  best  adapted  for  cattle  are  of  course 
the  great  grass  areas,  common  to  the  limestone  valleys.  We 
have  already  seen  that  a  great  part  of  the  county  is  of  this 
nature.  It  is  more  than  one  half,  when  you  add  to  the  lime- 
stone grass  lands  those  lands  along  Brush  Creek  which 
have  been  rendered  fertile  by  the  decomposition  of  fel- 
spathic  rocks.  Sheep  can  be  raised  profitably  all  over  the 
county.  Wheat  is  apparently  in  its  native  element.  Corn 
does  well  on  all  the  grass  lands,  and  tobacco  is  suited  to 
nearly  all  the  soils  in  the  county.  It  is  mostly  cultivated  in 
the  southeastern  and  northeastern  parts  of  the  county. 

Of  cattle,  averaging  the  last  few  years,  the  county  has  shipped  per  year 1,800  head. 

Of  sheep,         "  "  "  "  "        25  car-loads. 

Of  wheat,       "  "  "  "  >        "       ...30.700 bushels. 

Of  com,  "  '•  "  "  "        ....3,600 

Of  tobacco,     "  "  "  "  "       .  .613,000  pounds.    - 

TmBER. 

The  different  kinds  of  timber  native  to  this  latitude  are 
very  abundant  in  the  northern  side,  and  more  mountainous 


MONTGOMERY  CO. — BEE  CULTUEE.  27 

districts  of  the  southern  belt  of  the  country.  The  oak  is 
predominant.  Over  much  of  the  area  between  Brush  and 
Gap  Mountains,  there  are  fine  bodies  of  good  hard  wood  for 
charcoal  purposes.  The  south  side  of  the  county  occasion- 
ally shows  considerable  bodies  of  hemlock  and  white  pine, 
as  well  as  good  areas  here  and  there  for  coaling. 

"WATER  POWER. 

There  is  much  unused  water-power  in  the  county.  New 
Kiver,  discharging  about  eighteen  hundred  feet  per  second 
at  low  stages,  has  fall  enough  at  two  or  three  places  to  be 
used;  but  on  account  of  the  height  of  the  floods  it  might 
not  be  profitable  to  use  it.  Little  River,  discharging  one  hun- 
dred and  eighty  feet  per  second  at  low  stages,  will  be  a  very 
useful  stream.  South  and  North  Forks  of  Roanoke  River, 
of  rapid  descent,  present  many  locations  suitable  for  wool- 
carding  machines  and  grist-mills.  Tom's  Creek,  and  several 
other  streams  of  smaller  volume,  afibrd  constant  streams 
throughout  the  summer.  One  of  the  advantages  possessed 
by  these  rivers  and  creeks  is  the  never-failing  character  of 
their  flow. 

GRAPE  CULTURE. 

The  cultivation  of  any  imjDorted  varieties  of  grape  upon 
this  elevated  dividing  ridge,  between  eastern  and  western 
waters,  must  be  attended  with  much  uncertainty.  ExiDcrionce 
has  proven  that  careful  attention  paid  to  native  varieties  not 
only  causes  them  to  bear  a  grajfe  of  fine  flavor,  both  for  wine- 
making  and  eating,  but  an  unfailing  crop  may,  with  greater 
certainty,  be  looked  for  with  the  native  than  with  the  foreign 
varieties. 

BEE  CULTURE. 

The  luxuriant  growth  of  flowering  trees,  shrubs,  and  plants 
of  this  section  would  render  bee  culture,  under  proper  man- 


28  MONTGOMERY  CO. — FISH  CULTUBE. 

agement,  a  paying  industry.  There  is  mucTi  interest  mani- 
fested in  the  recent  improvement  in  gums,  but  very  little 
more  honey  is  made  than  is  necessary  for  home  use. 

FISH  CULTURE. 

The  work  done  in  the  last  year  or  two,  both  by  the  State 
Commissioner  and  private  individuals,  is  beginning  to  show 
in  the  large  number  of  black  bass,  and  other  fine  varieties, 
making  their  appearance  in  New  Kiver  and  tributaries  in 
this  county.  In  the  Eoanoke,  near  Big  Spring,  Alleghany 
Springs,  North  Fork,  etc.,  the  large  increase  of  fish  has  been 
owing,  to  some  extent,  to  the  exertions  of  Captain  Sumter,  of 
Big  Spring. 


PULASKI    COOsTT.  29 

PULASKI  COUNTY. 

It  is  difficult  to  find  language  that  will  introduce,  with 
proiDer  and  merited  descrif)tion,  each  county  as  it  presents 
itself,  without  drifting  into  a  condition  of  sameness  desirable 
to  be  avoided  in  treating  of  imjDortant  matter.  And  when, 
as  in  the  case  of  the  different  counties  of  Southwestern  Vir- 
ginia, candor  would  compel  the  impartial  writer  to  use  many 
adjectives  of  praise  in  speaking  of  their  resources,  the  task 
of  properly  presenting  the  subject  becomes  still  more  diffi- 
cult, if  the  appearance  of  mere  flattery  and  adulation  is  also 
to  be  avoided. 

Particularly  is  this  the  case  with  the  county  of  Pulaski. 
The  natural  features  of  this  county  are  nearly  all  of  that 
order,  which,  if  known  universally,  would  fix  the  attention  of 
the  least  observant,  whether  it  was  invited  to  the  scenery, 
made  up  of  mountains,  forests,  and  broad  streams,  great 
grass  fields,  dotted  with  herds  of  fine  cattle,  or  those  extra- 
ordinary exhibits  of  mineral  material  and  mineral  waters  that 
mark  the  belt  in  which  Pulaski  is  situated.  Though  small 
in  the  extent  of  its  territory,  in  comjDarison  with  the  other 
counties  of  this  section,  Pulaski  is  making  a  wide  and  favor- 
able reputation  for  the  almost  fabulous  quantity  of  its  iron 
ores  and  the  extent  of  its  fine  coal  fields,  to  say  nothing  of 
the  ores  of  zinc,  lead,  and  other  minerals.  In  addition  to 
which,  it  is  making  giant  strides  to  obtain  a  position  as  the 
leading  manufacturing  county  !  Look  at  the  large  zinc-re- 
ducing establishment  recently  erected  at  Martin's  Depot,  and 
at  the  very  extensive  iron  furnaces  in  course  of  preparation 
at  the  same  place  !  Altogether,  Pulaski  has  no  reason  to 
blush  for  the  part  it  is  performing,  either  for  itself  or  for 
the  State.  Tlie  course  it  is  now  pursuing  makes  of  it  a 
most  valuul)le  factor  in  the  final  settlement  of  the  disturbed 
financial  condition  of  the  State,  enhancing,  in  large  measure, 


30  PULASKI   CO. — HOW  WATERED. 

the  tax-paying  power  of  its  own  and  neighboring  communi- 
ties. 

Pulaski  is  bounded  north  by  the  county  of  Giles  and  a 
small  part  of  Bland,  marked  by  the  crest  of  Walker's  Moun- 
tain ;  east,  by  New  Eiver,  up  to  the  mouth  of  Little  Eiver, 
which  stream  then  forms  the  boundary  for  eight  or  ten  miles 
on  the  southeast ;  on  the  south,  by  Floyd  County,  and  a  part 
of  Carroll ;  west,  by  the  county  of  Wythe.  The  south  bound- 
ary line  follows  very  much  the  crest  of  the  Poplar  Camp,  or 
Iron  Mountain. 

HOW  WATERED. 

The  county  is  well  watered  by  New  Eiver,  Little  Eiver, 
and  their  tributaries.  Among  the  latter.  Back  Creek,  Peak 
Creek,  Big  and  Little  Eeed  Island  Creeks,  and  Laurel  are 
the  most  important. 

Geologically. — Pulaski  shows  nearly  all  the  strata  from  the 
Potsdam  to  the  Proto-Carboniferous  inclusive.  It  is  similar 
to  Montgomery  County  in  this  respect,  except  that,  in  the 
elevation  made  by  Draper's  Mountain,  it  has  a  much  larger 
exhibition  of  Potsdam  rocks  and  ores. 

The  county  is  divided  into  four  main  geological  divisions, 
in  part  owing  to  the  position  of  Draper's  Mountain,  which 
severs  the  western  half  of  the  county  nearly  in  the  middle 
from  west  to  east.  The  first,  or  southern  section,  is  a  great 
synclinal  trough  lying  between  Iron  Mountain  on  the  south, 
and  Draper's  Mountain,  as  above  described,  with  New  Eiver 
occupying  its  greatest  depression.  The  second,  northern,  is 
the  Eobinson  Tract  and  upper  Peak  Creek  country,  a  broken 
anthracite  coal  basin,  bounded  south  by  a  fault  line  between 
the  underlying  Devonian  rocks,  and  the  upthrow  of  the  Pots- 
dam, and  north  by  Little  Walker's  Mountain.  The  third,  or 
eastern  division,  is  the  great  plateau  of  beautiful  grass  lands, 
bedded  upon  Silurian  limestone,  occupying  the  space  from 


PULASKI    CO. — DESCRIPTION    OF    SECTION.  31 

Clojcl's  Mountam,  soutliwardlj,  to  tlie  foot  liills  of  Mac's 
Mountain,  Draper's  Mountain  Laving  come  suddenly  to  an 
end  in  Peak  Knob,  leaving  a  wide  plateau  of  grazing  and 
farming  lands  between  its  eastern  end  and  the  line  of  New 
Eiver,  after  tliat  stream  turns  a  northward  course.  The 
fourth  division  is  the  valley  of  Devonian  strata  lying  between 
Little  and  Big  Walker's  Mountains. 

It  being  somewhat  unusual  to  find  the  Potsdam  and  Devo- 
nian rocks  thrown  into  contact  in  this  section  of  country,  the 
accompanying  geological  section  will  be  found  to  be  located 
across  Draper's  Mountain,  the  north  side  of  which  shows 
this  unusual  occurrence  : 

DESCRIPTION   OF   SECTION. 

The  southern  end  of  the  geological  cross-section  on  the 
southern  boundary  of  the  county,  shown  on  page  41,  begins 
about  the  crest  of  the  main  Iron  Mountain,  near  a'  point 
where  Mac's  Mountain,  a  lateral  spur  of  the  main  range, 
diverges  from  it  on  the  north  side. 

These  rocks  represent  the  series  about  the  division  be- 
tween the  Huronian  and  Cambrian,  or  Lower  Silurian.  The 
conformability  of  the  strata  has  been  greatly  disturbed,  both 
by  the  pressure  from  the  southeast,  and  by  a  great  end- 
pressure  or  strain  at  right  angles  to  the  southeast  j)ressure. 
Consequently,  the  dip  is  very  variable.  It  may  be  recorded 
as  being  southwardly  at  high  angles.  To  the  south  we  have 
the  hydro-mica  slates,  overlaid  with  a  broad  felspathic  and 
quartoze  series,  terminating  in  a  band  of  inm  ore  ;  above 
tliis,  nearly  one  thousand  feet  of  Potsdam  sandstone,  Avith 
occasional  bands  of  slates,  some  of  them  very  dark  ;  over 
this,  in  the  order  of  stratification,  are  two  veins  of  l)rown 
iron  ores,  6  and  9  feet  respectively,  separated  by  a  l)and  of 
slate  not  over  20  feet  thick  ;  next  to  these  come  nearly  1,000 


32  PULASKI   CO. — DESCEIPTION  OF   SECTION. 

feet  of  Calciferous  red  shales  and  slates  interstratified  with 
limestones  more  or  less  magnesian,  and  sometimes  highly 
ferruginous,  here  and  there  showing  lead  and  zinc,  the  red 
slates,  etc.,  very  frequently  yielding  fine  specular  iron  ore. 
After  this  an  unknown  thickness  of  the  upjjer  Calciferous 
limestones,  much  folded  and  repeated  as  you  approach  the 
basin  of  the  river,  where  they  begin  to  assume  a  more  regular 
and  horizontal  attitude,  as  often  showing  a  gentle  inclination 
to  the  east  or  west  as  any  other  way. 

From  the  river  to  Draper's  Valley,  which  lies  just  south  of 
and  parallel  with  Draper's  Mountain,  there  is  a  repetition  of 
the  red  slates  and  shales,  alternating  with  limestone,  and 
sometimes  hard  sandstone,  so  folded  as  to  afford  little  chance 
of  ascertaining  thicknesses.  Draper's  Valley  is  a  beautiful 
and  fertile  limestone  valley,  showing  some  ledges  of  lime- 
stone which  make  a  beautiful  ornamental  stone  belonging  to 
the  Calciferous  series.  You  then  encounter  Draper's  Moun- 
tain, with  the  Potsdam  rocks  dipping  southwardly  at  an 
angle  of  about  50^  bedded  upon  buff  and  various  colored 
slates.  A  part  of  this  mountain  is  a  broken  anticlinal — par- 
ticularly that  about  Martin's  Depot — with  its  northern  limit 
defined  by  the  great  fault  just  now  mentioned,  in  which  the 
Potsdam  and  Devonian  rocks  are  brought  together. 

The  rocks  of  the  Potsdam  lining  this  great  fault  on  its 
south  side  are  those  which  hold  the  heavier  bands  of  iron 
ore,  and  they  are  so  thrown  together  for  several  miles 
along  this  line,  that  the  fault  is  marked  by  one  of  the  hea-\d- 
est  beds  of  iron  ore  in  Virginia.  Passing  northwardly  the 
section  reveals  about  2,500  feet  of  Devonian  rocks,  mostly 
fossiliferous  slates,  dipping  northwardly,  overlaid  by  the  low- 
est beds  of  the  Proto-Carboniferous,  showing  some  coal  in 
thin  seams.  You  may  then  say  you  are  in  the  Pulaski  coal 
basin  until  you  reach  Little  "Walker's  Mountain,  six  miles  to 
the  north.     About  Martin's  Depot  the  red  slates,  which  over- 


PULASKI   CO. — lEON  ORES.  33 

lie  the  coal  at  some  distance,  are  easily  distinguislied  in  a 
railroad   cut,  and  in  the  bed  of  Peak  Creek.     From  there 
until  you  reach  Robinson's  Tract,  which  lies  next  to  Little 
Walker's  Mountain,  the  stratification  is  much  disturbed  ;  andi 
Tract  Mountain,  which  bounds  Robinson's  Tract  on  the  south,, 
is  a  rather  broken  arch  compressed  from  the  sides  at  the- 
springing  line,  showing  an  upheaval  of  the  larger  coal  veins. 
Passing  across  the  undetermined   limestones  of  the   Tract,, 
you  reach  the  more  undisturbed   strata  containing  the  bestr 
coal  veins  in  the  south  flank  of  Little  "Walker's  Mountain, 
dipping  at  various  angles  up  to  45^  southwardly  and  south- 
eastwardly.     Underlying  the  coal  measures  is  a  few  feet  of 
fine  grindstone,  followed  by  slates  and  sandstones  1,200  feet 
thick  to  the  Olean  conglomerate,  which  here  outcrops  nearly- 
at  the  crest  of  Little  Walker's  Mountain,  dipping  40°  south-- 
wardly.     This  measure  is  over  300  feet  thick.    Next  under 
this  is  hard  sandstone  underlaid  with  an  alternation  of  slates 
and  sandstones,  some  highly  fossiliferous  and  calcareous,  for 
more  than  1,500  feet  down  to  the  black  slates  and  carbona- 
ceous limestones  which  represent  the  Coal  Oil  rocks.     Leav- 
ing these,  you  jiass  northwardly  over  the  upturned  edges  of 
the  Marcellus  and  Hamilton,  the  Oriskany,  etc.,  the  Clinton  and 
Oneida  sub-epochs,  to  the  northern  end  of  the  section  in  Big 
Walker's  Mountain,  on  the  northern  boundary  of  the  county. 
A  section  toward  the  eastern  side  of  the  county  would  be 
similar,  excei)t  that  the  great  central  jiart  of  it  would  be  an 
exhibit  of  Lower  Silurian  limestones,  leaving  out  the  south- 
ern rim  of  the  coal  basin,  and  the  showing  of  upturned  Pots- 
dam rocks  presented  in  Draper's  Mountain. 

IRON   ORES. 

In  the  continuation — nortli  70''  east,  and  south  70^  west — of 

the  fianking  ridges  of  the  main  Iron,  or  Poplar  Camp  Muun- 
3 


34:  PULASKI  CO. — IRON  OEES. 

tain,  on  the  north  side,  is  a  thick  series  of  the  Potsdam  and 
Calciferous  rocks,  as  shown  in  the  cross-section.  Through- 
out its  length  in  the  county  of  Pulaski,  perhaps  it  would  be 
a  difficult  task  to  aj)proximate  even  the  quantity  of  brown 
iron  ore  it  will  yield.  The  Mac's  Creek  Furnace,  is  built  in 
this  range  ;  the  old  Laurel  Creek  Forge  also  used  ores  from  it. 
With  the  exception  of  occasional  flexures  and  dislocations, 
this  Iron  Ore  is  continuous  throughout  the  length  of  the 
county.  At  Mac's  Creek,  the  nearest  veins  to  the  furnace, 
are  the  two  spoken  of  as  being  6  and  9  feet  respectively,  in 
walls  of  slate,  and  occurring  about  the  division  between  the 
Potsdam  and  Calciferous  ;  but  under  this,  geologically,  about 
the  beginning,  or  bottom,  of  the  series  of  sandstones,  marked 
by  the  Scolithus  Linearis,  seems  to  be  the  largest  deposit, 
or  vein.  At  one  point,  about  five  miles  southwest  of  Snow- 
ville,  the  ore  beds  formerly  used  by  the  Laurel  Creek  Forge 
give  such  dimensions  as  follow : 

In  1,000  feet  length  of  the  vein,  180  feet  of  this  length 
is  940  feet  wide,  the  remainder  having  a  width  of  200  feet. 
The  vein  goes  down  nearly  vertical  to  great  dej^ths,  this 
being  on  the  crest  of  a  high  hill,  and  it  may  safely  be  esti- 
mated that  the  ore  can  be  stripped  to  a  depth  of  300  feet. 
This  condition,  of  great  thickness,  is,  without  doubt,  owing 
to  end  pressure  on  the  great  mass  of  the  stratification,  caus- 
ing either  a  lateral  flexure  and  reduplication,  or  an  interlacing 
of  fragments.  To  a  depth  of  150  feet  this  body  of  ore  will 
yield  over  8,000,000  of  tons  of  brown  iron  ore  of  good  grade. 
On  the  south  side  of  this  ridge  is  Laurel  Creek,  flowing 
northeast,  on  which  are  situated  good  ore  beds  of  high- 
grade  iron  ore,  much  of  it  being  derived  from  the  decompo- 
sition of  ferruginous  limestones,  the  Lowest  of  Lower  Silurian 
limestones. 

In  this  vicinity  is,  also,  Bedland  Mountain,  near  Little 
Eiiver,  a  good  ore-bearing  ridge,  containing  that  class  of  ore 


PULASKI  CO. — lEON  ORES.  35 

wliicli  stains  tlie  soil  a  deep  red.  These  measures  trend 
south  west  through  the  Mac's  Mountain  and  Mac's  Creek  re- 
gion, giving  the  great  and  almost  unlimited  dej^osits  ujDon 
the  strength  of  which  Mac's  Creek  Furnace  was  located.  As 
Tou  approach  Reed  Island  Creek  going  southwest,  the  dupli- 
cation of  the  mountain  chain  seems  to  cease  somewhat,  and 
at  Flannigan's,  or  Graham  &  Robinson's  lead  mine  on  New 
Riyer,  the  Potsdam  and  lower  Calciferous  rocks  have  sub- 
sided so  much  as  to  leave  exposed  large  masses  of  the  next 
succeeding  series,  the  white  silicious  limestones,  and  blue 
■wavy  limestones,  which,  while  they  are  distinctly  Lead  and 
Zinc-bearing  rocks,  also  carry  in  places  very  heavy  deposits 
of  sulphuret  of  iron.  The  brown  ores  resulting  from  their 
decomposition  form  very  extensive  beds,  as  at  Rich  Hill,  and 
those  interesting  deposits  of  pipe  ores  at  Andrew  Moore's, 
below,  on  New  River. 

A  few  miles  up  Little  Reed  Island  Creek  from  its  mouth, 
near  the  Pulaski  and  Wythe  County  line,  there  are  the  only 
evidences  of  the  terrace  epoch  to  be  seen  in  this  section  of 
country,  as  is  also  mentioned  in  the  description  of  Wythe 
County.  This  is  in  brown  iron  ore  of  a  very  high  grade,  in 
terraces  about  GO  feet  above  the  present  level  of  the  creek. 
These  terraces  are,  no  doubt,  owing  to  the  creek,  in  past  ages, 
cutting  through  the  immense  beds  of  sulphurets  of  iron  and 
copper  in  Carroll  County  above  ;  and  its  waters  coming  down 
heavily  saturated  with  a  solution  of  iron,  wliile  passing  here 
through  a  more  level  country,  became  stationary  longenongli 
to  make  these  singular  depositions.  While  tliis  is  the  main 
source  of  the  iron,  it  is  very  probable  that  the  decomposing 
rocks  of  No.  2  close  by  added  largely  to  that  derived  from 
the  creek.  Tliese  ores  are  largely  in  use  by  Forney's  Forgo 
at  Allisonia,  near  the  mouth  of  Reed  Island  Creek,  at  Higli 
Rock  Forgo,  and  by  Graham's  now  furnace  fartlior  up  in  Wytlio 
County,  as  well  as  by  the  Room  Furnace  in  Pulaski.     They 


36  PULASKI  CO. — lEON  OEES. 

have  proven  to  be  not  only  of  very  liigli  grade,  but  in  very 
great  quantity.  The  nest  great  deposit  of  brown  iron  ore  is  that 
in  the  north  of  Draper's  Mountain,  along  the  line  of  fault  just 
now  mentioned.  At  one  mile  and  a  half  south  of  Martin's  Depot, 
on  the  Atlantic,  Mississippi  and  Ohio  Kailroad,  at  what  is 
familiarly  known  as  the  Honaker  Ore  Bank,  may  be  considered 
the  heaviest  exhibition  yet  ascertained  along  the  lead,  which 
runs  with  intermissions  both  ways  for  several  miles.  At  the 
Honaker  Bank  a  body  of  the  ore  was  measured,  and  found  to 
give  a  length  of  1,000  feet,  75  feet  thickness  or  width,  by  an 
average  elevation  of  outcrop  above  water  in  the  small  branch 
near  of  125  feet.  Throwing  out  one  half  for  intrusions  of 
quartz  and  clayey  impurities,  this  body  will  yield  500,000  tons 
of  good  ore,  down  to  the  level  of  water  in  the  small  branch. 
This  little  stream  marks  the  division  between  two  large  bod- 
ies of  ore.  Perhaps  the  deposit  west  of  it  is  equally  as  large 
as  that  just  now  described.  This  ore  is  underlaid  by  the 
felspathic  series  of  the  lowest  Cambrian,  or  upper  Huronian 
epoch,  and  would  show  over  it  the  Scolithus-bearing  series  ; 
but  the  great  fault  by  which  these  low  measures  have  been 
brought  up  so  high  has  protruded  the  Scolithus  series,  so 
that  it  has  been  denuded  and  carried  away. 

The  analysis  of  the  Honaker  brown  ore  is  as  follows  : 

Iron  58.00,  Phosphorus  None. — Dr.  Genth. 

There  are  also  surface  exhibitions  of  brown  ores  in  the 
south  flank  of  Little  Walker's  Mountain,  very  probably  the 
result  of  a  decomposing  vein  of  iron  carbonate  in  the  Coal 
Measures.  Occasionally,  in  the  hills  among  the  limestone 
grass  lands,  brown  ores  show.  They  are  generally  very  pure, 
but  as  yet  undeveloped. 

The  next  locality  of  brown  ores  of  any  consequence  is  the 
line  of  Oriskany  rocks  in  the  south  flank  of  Big  Walker's 
Mountain.     The  measure  of  the  Oriskanv  in  Pulaski  is  not 


PULASKI  CO. — MANGANESE   ORES.  37 

generally  more  than  18  feet.  Occasionally  this  is  nearly  all 
brown  iron  ore  of  liigh  grade ;  again  it  gives  way  to  manganese 
ore,  and  very  often  it  is  nothing  but  a  highly  ferruginous 
sandstone.     It  is  nearly  20  miles  long  in  Pulaski  County. 

RED  IRON   ORE. 

Specular  ore  may,  now  and  then,  be  found  in  the  large 
Potsdam  rein  above  described,  but  not  in  well-ascertained 
quantities.  In  the  overlying  red  shales  and  slates  it  is  in 
very  considerable  quantity,  but  not  yet  found  well  enough  in 
hand  to  justif}'  mining.  It  forms  a  very  large  proportion  of 
these  rocks,  but  unfortunately  too  generally  distributed.  It 
is  only  after  their  decomposition  that  it  begins  to  enter  as  an 
important  factor  into  the  question  of  iron  ores.  It  then  be- 
comes the  parent  of  some  of  the  fine  deposits  found  in  the 
limestones  at  lower  levels.  In  Draper's  Mountain  there  is  a 
thin  vein  of  red  ore ;  also  in  Big  Walker's  Mountain.  Tliis 
last  is  the  fossil  red,  w^hich,  from  the  specimens  so  far  exam- 
ined, does  not  bid  fair  to  be  of  any  consequence. 

IRON  CARBONATE. 

There  is  no  doubt  a  vein  of  black  band  about  20  inches 
thick  overlying  the  coal,  but  as  yet  not  developed.  In  the 
rocks  at  the  northern  base  of  Little  Walker's  Mountain  there 
is  a  measure  of  highly  carbonaceous  limestone,  about  15  feet 
thick,  which  is  also  impregnated  with  iron  to  the  extent  of 
about  ten  per  cent.  This  is  a  low  form  of  iron  carbonate.  It 
may  be  regarded  as  a  very  valuable  measure  for  furnace  pur- 
poses.    It  is  just  about  the  position  of  the  coal  oil  series. 

MANGANESE   ORES. 

Manganese  will  be  found  a  largo  constituent  of  all  the 
Potsdam  iron  ores,  except  occasional  lengths  on  the  veins, 


38  PULASKI  CO. — COAL. 

where  there  seems  to  be  but  little.  It  rarely  ever  assumes 
the  character  of  a  pure  oxide  of  manganese  in  those  veins  in 
Pulaski,  but  in  the  Oriskany  ores  of  Walker's  Mountain  it 
is  an  ore  of  very  high  grade.  Now  and  then,  as  at  the  Alum 
Springs  and  Spur  Branch,  it  bids  fair  to  be  found  in  suflB.cient 
quantities  to  make  it  a  heavy  item  of  transportation. 

COAL. 

The  discussion,  in  a  public  print,  of  a  matter  of  so  much 
importance  to  this  county  as    the  Coal  is,  is  entered  upon 
with  some  reluctance  in  this  work.    To  describe  the  Coal  Field 
correctly,  and  outline  the  proper  course  to  be  pursued  for  its 
successful  mining,  is  a  delicate  point.     It  occupies  the  north- 
ern and  northwestern  portions  of  the  county,  extending  from 
New  Eiver  on  the  east  into  Wythe  County,  20  miles,  on  the 
west.     The  upthrow  of  Silurian  limestones  by  which  its  width 
is   limited  on  the   south  is   observable    along  Back    Creek 
until  you  reach  the  eastern  limit  of  Kobinson's  Tract,  when  it 
begins  to  assume  the  appearance  of  a  basin  with   northern 
and  southern  outcrops.     It  is  really  an  irregular  basin,  from 
a  line  across  the  country  just  below  Martin's,  until  you  pass 
into  Wythe  County  on  the  west,  occupying  all  the  ground  be- 
tween the  ridge  just  north  of  Draper's  Mountain  and  Little 
Walker's  Mountain,  six  miles  in  width.     It  is  much  broken 
toward  the  middle  by  several  nearly  parallel  ridges,  such  as 
Tract  Mountain  and  Chellokee  Eidge.     The  coal  measures  are 
only  considered,  along  here,  reliable  on  the  side  next  Little 
Walker's  Mountain,  to   which  the   Altoona  Coal  and  Iron 
Co.  has  built  a  narrow-gauge  railway  from  Martin's  Depot 
on  the  Atlantic,  Mississippi  and  Ohio  Eailkoad.    Just  at 
the    point    where     the    Altoona     Company    has     hitherto 
mined  the   coal   there   is   a  very  considerable    disturbance 
of   the    stratification    composing    the    south   flank    of  Lit- 


PULASKI  CO. — COAL.  39 

tie  Walker's  Mountain ;  lience  the  measures  here  given  were 
taken  a  mile  or  so  farther  east,  where  no  such  disturb- 
ance existed.  Throughout  the  whole  extent  of  workable  coal 
there  are  considered  to  be  two  reliable  veins :  the  underlying 
vein  measures  2  feet  and  3  feet  at  different  points;  and 
where  there  is  no  folding  or  sliding  of  strata,  it  is  separated 
by  15  feet  of  slate  from  a  vein  giving  4  feet  of  solid  coal  with 
3  feet  of  looser  coal  over  it,  over  which,  at  25  feet,  there  is  a 
vein  of  soft  coal  4  feet  thick.  The  middle  vein,  as  in  the  Al- 
toona  mine,  sometimes  assumes  a  thickness  of  22  feet;  but 
this  is  no  doubt  owing  to  crowding  of  the  strata  from  press- 
ure. From  the  outcrop  southwardly,  before  any  possible 
fault  intervenes  to  cut  off  the  coal,  it  is  an  average  distance  of 
3,500  feet ;  and  if  Robinson's  Tract  should  be  a  true  basin, 
there  would  be  nearly  two  miles'  width,  from  north  to  south,  of 
the  best  workable  veins,  though  about  the  middle  of  the 
basin  the  coal  would  lie  very  deep.  One  mile  length  on  the 
veins — that  is  from  northeast  to  southwest — by  a  width  of 
3,500  feet  will  yield  about  4,100,000  tons  of  coal,  that 
approaches  very  nearly  a  true  anthracite  in  character.  The 
Altoona  coal  mine  will  this  year  dispose  of  47,000  tons  of  its 
two  varieties  of  coal. 

As  you  approach  the  western  end  of  the  county,  close  to 
the  Wythe  County  line,  the  coal  near  the  Atlantic,  Missis- 
sippi and  Ohio  Eailroad,  or  southern  side  of  the  basin, 
becomes  more  regular,  and  for  an  area  of  several  miles  is 
valuable.  The  best  vein  shows  six  feet  thick,  and  assumes 
its  best  character  about  fifty  feet  below  viator  level.  It 
may  be  suggested,  tliat  the  character  of  the  coals  of  these 
Pulaski  measures  would  be  found  much  superior  below  Avater 
level.  It  is  fuir  to  assume,  wliere  they  liavo  been  sub- 
jected to  so  much  disturbance,  and  the  coal  near  tlio  out- 
crops has  been  exposed  so  long  to  the  action  of  the  elements, 
that  much  of  the  carbonaceous  material  has  been  lost ;  but 


40  PULASKI  CO. — SILVER. 

the  same  constituents  in  tlie  coal  below  water  level  have  had 
no  chance  to  be  eliminated  to  such  an  extent,  or  rather,  to 
escape,  and  an  analysis  of  that  coal,  say  two  hundred  feet 
below  water  level,  is  likely  to  be  found  much  higher  in  car- 
bon, and  lower  in  percentage  of  ash.  It  might  be  of  interest 
to  mention  the  names  of  special  localities  where  these  coals 
have  better  developed ;  but  as  the  veins  are  continuous,  from 
New  Eiver  almost  to  the  Wythe  County  line,  along  the  south 
flank  of  Little  Walker's  Mountain,  it  is  not  necessary. 

LEAD  AND  ZINC. 

Pulaski  holds  a  part  of  the  great  Zinc  and  Lead  Basin, 
which  is  developed  to  so  valuable  an  extent  in  Wythe 
County,  a  few  miles  to  the  southwest.  About  two  miles  be- 
low the  mouth  of  Reed  Island  Creek,  on  New  River,  there  is 
a  great  fragment  of  zinc  and  lead  rocks,  now  being  mined  by 
Flannigan,  and  Graham  &  Robinson.  Both  above  and  below 
this  point  these  strata  are  thrown  out  for  some  distance  by 
the  obtrusion  of  the  underlying  red  slates  and  shales ;  here, 
however,  it  is  likely  to  prove  of  value.  The  dip  of  the  rock ' 
is  northwest  30^  from  the  horizon.  The  greatest  mass  of 
ore  is  found  at  the  junction  of  the  white  silicious  limestone 
with  the  blue  and  white  lamellated  wavy  limestone.  When 
last  examined  there  were  one  hundred  and  fifty  tons  of  ore  on 
the  ground.  The  mine  was  opened  by  a  tunnel  three  hun- 
dred and  thirty  feet  long.  There  are  occasional  displays  of 
ore  east  of  this  point,  but  of  no  great  consequence  as  yet. 
Lead  also  shows  in  small  particles  in  Proto-Carboniferous 
rocks  in  Tract  Mountain,  and  in  Lower  Helderberg  rocks  in 
Big  Walker's  Mountain. 

SILVEE. 

Silver  is  a  constituent  of  pebbles  found  in  a  thin  measure 
of  conglomerate,  which  lies  about  one  hundred  feet  beneath 


PULASKI  CO. 


41 


Sj't-eveTg  Abop  Tide  o 


ye  Tide  g         g         g   J  Bir;  Timera 


l^tUle  \ValJ:eTS  OT 
Cloyds  Mtn. 


Isons  Trad 


•nH  Jtidgs 


Chchokee'  Ridge 

c.  Miss  &  Ohio  S.  R, 


lilt 

imker  Iron  Ore  75  ft 


'Drapers.  Mm. 


Iron  MCn. 


LevelH  Above  TiJe 


42  PULASKI   CO. — TIMBER. 

the  Coal  Measures,  but  is  not  supposed  to  be  in  very  consid- 
erable quantity. 

LIMESTONE. 

Limestones  of  all  kinds  exist  in  all  but  the  more  moun- 
tainous districts.  The  blue  limestones  of  the  valley  are 
good  for  lime,  and  those  which  weather  white  or  light  drab 
are  hydraulic. 

BUILDING    STONES. 

There  are  many  ledges  of  fine  building  stone  both  in  the 
limes  and  sandstones.  Along  Peak  Creek,  in  the  lowest  of 
the  coal  rocks,  the  sandstones  could  not  be  excelled  any- 
where for  the  beauty  and  size  of  the  stones,  which  can  be 
obtained  homogeneous  in  color  and  texture,  breaking  with  a 
regular  fracture,  and  weathering  well ;  they  are  much  sought 
after. 

In  Draper's  Mountain  and  in  Poplar  Camp  Mountain  there 
are  ledges  which  will  yield  rock  suitable  for  furnace  lining. 
In  Draper's  Valley  there  are  ledges  of  limestones  so  varie- 
gated in  color  as  to  approach  marble  in  beauty. 

MINEEAL   SPRINGS. 

The  Pulaski  Alum  Springs  on  Little  Walker's  Creek  is 
now  the  only  regularly  kept  watering-jDlace  in  the  county. 
In  its  neighborhood  visitors  are  entertained  by  citizens  also. 
The  waters  of  these  springs  flow  from  Marcellus  slates. 
They  are  distinctly  alum  and  chalybeate,  and  are  highly 
tonic  in  their  character.  The  mass  made  from  the  water 
sells  readily,  and  is  now  the  source  of  some  profit  to  the 
owners  of  the  springs.  ' 

TIMBER. 

The  valuable  trees  of  Pulaski  are  white  oak,  chestnut  oak, 
chestnut,  poplar,  walnut,  hickory,  white  jjine,  and  a  few 
others,  such  as  sugar-maple  and  buckeye.     White  oak  seems 


PULASKI  CO. — MANTIFACTUEES.  43 

to  be  the  predominant  feature  in  timber.  In  the  valley 
between  Little  and  Big  Walker's  Mountains  there  are  large 
quantities  of  fine  white  oak. 

WATER  POWER. 

Leaving  out  New  River,  Little  Kiver  and  Big  Eeed  Island 
Creek  are  capable  of  supplying  a  very  great  water  power. 
These  streams  each  discharge  over  one  hundred  and  eighty 
cubic  feet  per  second.  Little  Eeed  Island  Creek,  somewhat 
smaller,  yields  fine  power.  Peak  Creek,  from  its  average 
fall  being  over  twelve  feet  per  mile,  offers  many  mill  sites. 
Back  Creek  also,  though  a  smaller  stream,  is  useful  in  that 
way. 

MANUFACTURES. 

If  the  metal-reducing  establishments  now  built  and  in 
course  of  preparation  be  included  under  the  head  of  manu- 
factures, Pulaski  occupies  a  prominent  position  among  her 
sister  counties.  At  Martin's  Depot  there  is  a  system  of  fur- 
naces recently  completed,  now  reducing  the  zinc  ores  of  the 
New  River  basin  to  metallic  zinc,  or  spelter,  as  it  is  called. 
There  are  now  two  principal  furnaces  with  about  twelve  tiers 
of  retorts  each,  with  an  average  daily  capacity  of  about 
four  thousand  pounds  together.  To  these  are  to  be  added 
soon  as  many  more.  On  Mac's  Creek,  in  the  southern  dis- 
trict of  the  county,  there  is  a  finely  constructed  iron  furnace 
— the  Radford  Furnace — having  an  average  daily  capacity  of 
twenty  tons,  now  in  operation.  At  Allisonia,  Reed  Island 
Creek,  Forney's  Forge  turns  out  twelve  tons  of  fine  blooms 
per  week.  On  this  creek,  just  above,  is  the  newly  erected 
"Boom  Furnace."  At  Snowville,  on  Little  River,  then^  is 
a  good  woolen  factory  for  making  kerseys,  jeans,  cassimores, 
blankets,  etc.,  but  not  now  in  operation.     There  are  sufli- 


44:  PULASKI  CO. — FRUITS. 

cient  mills  in  the  county  to  meet  tlie  wants  of  tlie  people, 
some  of  tliem  very  good. 

AGEICULTUEE. 

It  is  almost  impossible  to  do  justice  to  the  subject  of  agri- 
culture in  the  county  of  Pulaski.  For  so  small  a  county, 
comparatively,  it  has  established  for  itself  an  enviable  name 
as  a  grass  county.  Back  Creek  and  sections  of  New  Eiver, 
with  occasional  areas  on  Peak  Creek  and  in  Draper's  Valley, 
afford  some  of  the  finest  grazing  lands  in  Virginia.  There  is 
much  of  the  county,  besides,  devoted  to  mere  farming  opera- 
tions, much  of  it  being  well  adaj^ted  to  tobacco,  such  as  the 
hill  lands,  toward  the  southern  side  of  the  county. 

SCENERY. 

The  rivers  with  its  high  cliffs,  its  sweeping  bends,  and  clear 
waters,  makes  the  most  striking  scenery  of  the  county.  Often- 
times, bordered  as  it  is  about  the  Horse  Shoe  with  luxuriant 
and  spreading  grass  fields  on  one  side,  and  cliffs  on  the  oppo- 
site side,  it  affords  scenery  of  a  very  high  order. 

FRUITS. 

All  the  fruits  of  this  latitude  do  well  in  Pulaski.  Grapes 
when  properly  cultivated  and  pruned  yield  a  very  certain 
return. 

Bee  mdture  is  becoming  gradually  of  more  importance  each 
year.  The  culture  of  fish  by  the  State  authorities  and  pri- 
vate parties  has  been  looked  after  with  a  great  deal  of  inter- 
est. The  lake  at  Martin's  is  now  stocked  with  black  bass, 
placed  there  several  years  since  by  Captain  Sumter,  and 
New  Eiver  is  now  affording,  about  New  Kiver  Station,  cap- 
ital sport  in  the  improved  varieties,  which  are  becoming 
somewhat  numerous.    Little  Eiver  is  likely  to  be  used  by 


PULASKI  CO. — TOWNS  A2ST)  TILLAGES.  45 

the  autliorities  as  an  excellent  breeding  ground  for  favorite 
fish,  on  account  of  the  existence  of  a  spring,  which  comes 
out  near  its  west  bank,  in  a  very  large  stream  from  a  deep 
cavern  in  the  limestone  rocks.  In  this  place  large  quan- 
tities of  catfish  annually  hibernate. 

TEADE  IN  CATTLE,  SHEEP,  WHEAT,  AXD  TOBACCO. 

The  annual  shipment  of  cattle  from  Pulaski  is  about  3,800, 
of  which  one  half  goes  to  the  English  market.  Of  sheep 
there  are  exported  annually  about  6,000  head.  There  are 
about  15,000  pounds  of  wool  used  in  the  county  and  sold 
out  of  it  annuall}^ ;  68,000  bushels  of  wheat  shij^ped ;  5,000 
bushels  of  corn  annually  shipped,  and  about  135,000  pounds 
of  tobacco. 

LINES   OF  TKANSPORTATION. 

This  county  is  directly  on  the  great  through  line  of  railway 
from  the  Atlantic  seaboard,  through  Tennessee,  to  the  West 
and  South.  The  Atlantic,  Mississippi  and  Ohio  Kaileoad 
passes  through  the  heart  of  the  county  from  east  to  west.  New 
Kiver,  besides  being  the  line  of  a  navigation  improvement 
now  under  the  auspices  of  the  general  government,  is  also 
the  line  of  the  New  Eever  Kailroad,  a  road  now  being  con- 
structed. This  is  also  one  of  the  proposed  lines  of  the  Pitts- 
burgh Southern  Kailway. 

The  county  is  well  supplied  with  good  country  roads ;  ono 
of  them  is  a  fine  macadamized  turniiike. 

towns  and  villages. 

Newbern,  the  county  site,  is  a  small  town  having  the  usual 
number  of  stores,  hotels,  and  various  kinds  of  repairing  shops. 
It  has  churches  of  various  dcnominutions,  and  scliools.  At 
this  place  is  i)ublished  an  ably  edited  weekly  newspaper, 


46  PULASKI  CO. — PUBLIC   SCHOOLS. 

wortli  more  tlian  all  of  tlie  otlier  institutions  of  the  town  put 
together.  Dublin  is  two  miles  north  from  Newbern,  on  the 
Atlantic,  Mississippi  and  Ohio  Railroad.  It  is  a  place  of 
several  hundred  inhabitants,  containing  churches,  stores,  and 
schools.  Martin's  is  now  the  place  of  progress  in  the  county. 
With  its  Zinc  Works  and  fine  Iron  Furnace,  soon  to  be  com- 
pleted, its  railroad  connecting  the  heavy  beds  of  coal  with 
the  larger  railroad,  together  with  its  romantic  location  upon 
a  beautiful  mountain  stream,  all  bid  fair  soon  to  make  it  the 
most  considerable  place  in  Southwestern  Yirginia.  New 
Biver  Station  will  be  a  place  of  importance  also,  as  the  point 
of  junction  between  the  Atlantic,  Mississippi  and  Ohio  Eail- 
BOAD,  the  New  River  Railroad,  and  the  New  River  Improve- 
ment. Snowville,  on  Little  River,  is  an  enterprising  village 
with  a  woolen  factory,  grist  and  sawmill,  good  stores, 
schools,  smith-shops,  etc. 


public  schools. 

The  public  schools  of  Pulaski  have  fared  like  the  otlier 
schools  in  Virginia  the  last  few  years  ;  but  are  now  decidedly 
improved,  and  are,  no  doubt,  on  a  permanent  basis  of  pros- 
perity. 

It  will  not  do  to  dismiss  Pulaski  County  without  saying  it 
is  now  entering,  as  a  most  important  factor,  into  the  question 
of  the  future  prosperity  of  the  State.  It  would  be  well  for 
the  example  of  those  men,  who  have  been  so  instrumental  in 
bringing  about  this  healthy  condition  of  affairs  in  Pulaski,  to 
be  more  widely  copied  in  the  different  counties.  If  such 
should  be  the  case,  how  soon  would  the  really  fine  resources 
of  the  State  be  the  means  of  her  redemption  from  the  embar- 
rassments that  have  held  her  bound  in  the  past. 


WYTHE  COUNTY.  47 


TVTTHE   COUNTY. 


To  open  the  chapter  on  Wythe  County  in  a  manner  worthy 
of  the  high  claims  it  has  upon  the  consideration  of  the  pub- 
lic, will  be  quite  as  difficult  as  it  will  be  to  close  it  with  the 
consciousness  of  having  done  justice  to  the  subject. 

Every  endeavor  has  been  made  to  treat  all  the  territory 
described  in  this  volume  with  the  utmost  impartiality ;  and 
it  is  not  to  be  supposed,  because  development  has  been 
pushed  to  a  much  greater  extent  in  "Wythe  than  in  any  other 
county,  that  an  impartial  description  of  it,  as  it  presents  it- 
self, is  intended  in  the  least  to  detract  from  the  just  merits  of 
the  other  fine  counties  composing  Southwestern  Virginia. 

On  the  contrary,  an  apology  is  due  to  the  patient  friends, 
who  have  so  kindly  awaited  the  appearance  of  this  book, 
for  the  imperfect  manner  in  which  this  great  county,  with  its 
varied  resources  of  a  suj^erior  character,  is  treated.  But  it 
is  due,  also,  to  the  reader  to  say  that  much  that  is  interesting 
with  regard  to  Wythe  would  have  been  omitted  had  the  book 
made  its  appearance  twelve  months  ago. 

In  the  development  of  its  different  ore  fields  the  county  is 
making  rapid  strides  toward  a  position  of  commercial  im- 
portance, well"  calculated  to  excite  the  just  pride  of  her 
citizens,  as  well  as  to  encourage  the  friends  of  the  State  in 
the  hope  that  so  progressive  a  spirit,  showing  in  other 
counties  of  the  section  as  well,  will  tend  far  toward  the 
early  solution  of  those  financial  difficulties  which  liave  well 
nigh  compromised  lier  lK)nor,  and  which,  without  the  active 
development  of  tlio  lately-hidden  resources  of  the  State, 
would  find  but  a  tardy  settlement. 

Tliat  Wythe  is  nobly  doing  its  duty  in  increasing  the  tax- 
paying  power  of  its  own  and  neighboring  communities,  no 
one  can  doubt  who  will  look  at  the  different  furnaces  and 
mines  recently  put  in  operation  in  the  county.     And  these 


48  "WYTHE   CO. — HOW  BOIINDED. 

■worts,  it  may  be  submitted,  supplying  extensive  home  mar- 
kets, besides  employing  the  industrious  labor  of  the  country 
at  remunerative  wages,  are  making  the  burdens  of  the  State 
much  easier  to  be  borne  than  formerly ;  not  only  releasing 
old  residents  from  embarrassment,  but  bringing  in  new  men, 
wealthy,  and,  at  the  same  time,  willing  to  help  the  country 
out  of  its  troubles. 

It  is  in  no  wise  intended  in  such  an  introduction  to  under- 
rate the  importance  of  the  agricultural  interests  of  the  county, 
nor  of  the  manufacturing  enterprises  which  are  struggling 
through  a  healthy  infancy  to  a  mature  age  of  great  usefulness 
and  importance. 

If  conditions  of  transportation  could  once  be  made  to  as- 
sume a  correct  relation  to  the  different  interests  of  agricul- 
ture, mines,  and  manufactures,  "Wythe  would  not  be  long  in 
taking  a  leading  position  among  the  counties  most  noted  for 
high  commercial  prosperity ;  and  this  comparison  might  very 
safely  be  extended  to  the  most  favored  localities  throughout 
the  whole  country. 

HOW  BOUNDED. 

Wythe  is  separated  from  Bland  County,  on  the  north,  by 
Big  Walker's  Mountain,  except  six  miles  of  th^  northeastern 
end  of  the  line,  which  leaves  Big  Walker's  Mountain,  and  cuts 
over  south  to  the  top  of  Little  Walker's,  or  Cloyd's  Mountain. 

On  the  south  it  is  divided  from  the  counties  of  Grayson, 
to  the  southwest,  and  Carroll,  to  the  southeast,  by  Iron 
Mountain  and  its  extension,  known  as  Poplar  Camp  Moun- 
tain. On  the  east  is  Pulaski  County,  and  on  the  west  is  the 
county  of  Smyth. 

Within  these  boundaries  may  be  considered  to  lie  an  ex- 
tent and  variety  of  mineral  and  agricultural  lands  which, 
taken  together,  are  unsurpassed  by  the  same  area  anywhere 
else  in  the  United  States. 


"WYTHE   CO. — GEOLOGICAL.  49 

Alternating  witli  eacli  otlier,  in  tlie  south  side  of  tlie 
county,  are  wonderful  veins  and  deposits  of  Iron  ores,  Man- 
ganese ores,  and  Lead  and  Zinc  ores  of  extraordinary  purity, 
"^"hile  in  tlie  northern  half  of  the  county  fine  magnetic  and 
brown  ores  lie  close  to  good  workable  veins  of  semi-bitumin- 
ous and  semi-anthracite  coal.  Lying  between  these  great 
mineral  belts,  and  interlaced  with  them,  are  fine  blue-grass 
and  farming  lands  of  a  high  order,  mineral  springs  not  being 
uncommon. 

HOW  WATERED. 

The  county  is  well  watered  by  New  River  (which  flows 
through  the  southeastern  portion,  of  the  county),  and  some 
of  its  principal  tributaries,  such  as  Cripj^le  Creek  and  Keed 
Creek.  These  streams,  with  their  many  minor  tributaries, 
leave  but  a  small  space  of  the  whole  area  which  is  not 
thoroughly  well  watered,  and,  like  all  mountain  streams  of 
the  section,  are  unfailing. 

New  Pdver  yields,  at  the  "Wythe  Lead  Mines,  about  1,500 
cubic  feet  per  second.  Reed  Creek,  watering  the  central  and 
northern  portions  of  the  county,  passes,  at  different  points, 
from  30  up  to  180  cubic  feet  per  second ;  while  Cripple 
Creek,  watering  the  southwestern  portion  of  the  county, 
yields  nearly  as  much,  presenting  much  excellent  water 
power  throughout  the  county,  as  the  descent  is  sufficient  to 
give,  on  every  two  miles'  length  of  the  smaller  streams,  a  fall 
of  over  twelve  feet  average;  while  New  River,  except  the 
twelve  feet  at  Pearce's  Falls,  shows  an  average  fall  per  mile 
of  about  ci<T;ht  foot. 

GEOLOGICAL. 

Beginning  on  the  soutli  side  of  the  county,  and  procnodliig 

north^in  the  descrij^tion,  Wytho   County  holds  the  rocks  of 

nearly  all  the  epochs,  and  their  subdivisions    between   the 
4 


50 


WYTHE   CO. — GEOLOGICAL. 


Huronian  and  Cambrian  on  tlie  soutli,  and  the  Proto-Carbon- 
iferous  toward  the  north  side  of  the  county,  and  in  nearly 
all  the  eras  represented  by  these  rocks  nature  seems  to  have 
expanded  herself  to  the  full  in  a  lavish  deposition  of  some  of 
the  best  and  most  useful  ores. 

As  will  be  seen  by  examining  the  accompanying  sections, 
the  Potsdam  sandstones,  and  subjacent  hydro-mica  slates  and 
conglomerates,  compose  the  Iron  Mountain  mainly.  Only 
here  and  there  do  the  felspars,  which  are  so  common  in 
Grayson,  to  the  south,  assume  any  importance.  This  Iron 
Mountain  is  then  flanked  on  the  north  by  tlie  red  Calciferous 
slates,  the  Potsdam  and  Calciferous  being  usually  separated 
by  an  extraordinary  band  pf  brown  iron  ore  and  manganese 
ores  of  great  thickness  and  persistency.  Next  to  the  north 
of  the  red  slates  are  the  great  bands  of  variegated  limestones, 
holding  dolomites  (sometimes  bedded  on  bauds  of  silicious 
limestones),  which  are  the  gangue  of  the  unsurpassed  lead 
and  zinc  deposits  now  being  so  well  develojped  in  the  New 
Eiver  section. 

In  these  rocks  are  also  the  deposits  of  iron  sulphurets, 
which,  decomposing,  have  left  such  vast  deposits  of  pure 
brown  iron  ore. 

Passing  north  of  this  line,  crossing  the  line  of  Cripple 
Creek  and  New  River,  there  are  found  the  upturned  edges  of 
these  same  rocks  again,  but  now  dipping  southwardly,  as  on 
the  south  side  they  dipped  northwardly  for  the  most  part,  or 
were  so  overturned  as  to  dip  southwardly  in  reverse  order ; 
altogether  making  of  the  south  side  of  the  county  a  great 
trough-like  basin,  flanked  on  the  south  by  Iron  Mountain, 
and  on  the  north  by  Lick  Mountain,  and  its  continuation, 
Draper's  Mountain. 

In  Lick  Mountain,  in  the  center  of  the  county,  the  Potsdam 
rocks,  with  their  peculiar  fossil — the  Scolithus — form  a  great 
broken  anticlinal,  giving  way  on  the  north  side  to  the  band 


WYTHE   CO. — GEOLOGICAL.  51 

of  red  Calciferous  slates  and  shales,  from  wliicli  tliey  are  sepa- 
rated by  the  usual  bands  of  iron  and  manganese  ores.  On 
the  north  of  this  is  the  great  band  of  Lower  Silurian  or  upper 
Calciferous  limestones,  with  steep  dips  flanked  on  the  north 
of  Wytheville  hj  tlie  brown  sandstones  and  black  slates  of 
Pine  Ridge  for  the  west  half  of  the  county,  but  by  a  repetition 
of  the  same  limestones  further  east  in  the  direction  of  Max 
Meadows.  To  the  north  of  these  the  conditions  materially 
change,  the  persistency  of  strata  from  northeast  to  south- 
west being  broken  by  the  influence  of  the  great  cross  flexures 
and  compressions  common  to  the  range  of  mountains  just 
north  of  this  line — in  the  north  boundary  of  the  county. 
Thus,  passing  north  of  Wytheville  and  west  of  Queen's  Knob, 
you  encounter  the  Tipturned  edges  of  Lower  Silurian  lime- 
stones— here  and  there  showing  magnetic  and  brown  iron  ores 
and  variegated  marble — until  you  reach  a  great  fault  at  the 
south  base  of  Little  Walker's  Mountain ;  there  you  are  sud- 
denly brought  into  contact  with  the  rocks  of  the  Proto-Car- 
boniferous,  holding  good  coal  veins.  But  when  you  pass 
east  of  Queen's  Knob,  for  nearly  the  whole  of  that  portion  of 
the  county  tliere  has  been  no  bringing  up,  on  so  large  a  scale, 
of  the  Lower  Silurian  limestones.  On  the  contrary,  very  valu- 
able areas  of  the  Lower  Coal  Measures  still  remain,  as  those 
north  of  Clark's  Summit  and  Max  MeadoAvs.  To  the  north  of 
these,  as  in  the  Cove,  is  a  band  of  the  lower  limestones  again, 
running  up  into  the  Hudson  Ptiver  and  Clinton  series  in  the 
Cove  Mountain,  but  flanked  on  the  north  by  the  great  fault 
just  mentioned,  at  the  south  foot  of  Little  Walker's  Moun- 
tain, bringing  in  the  Proto-Carboniforous  dipping  south- 
wardly. 

These  measures  are  underlaid  iu  tJic  li(;art  oi.  Littlo  Widkor's 
Mountain,  by  Devonian  rocks,  including  the  roprorsentativo  of 
the  Olean  conglomerate,  and  these  again  are  underlaid  In 
regular  order  by  tlic  slates  and  shales  of  the  Marccllus,  Ilaiu- 


52 


"WYTHE  CO. — GEOLOGICAL. 


«yr  no. 


jsai^iridx  sp 


7Jjf  s.ov;r),jl  3?;j77 


WYTHE  CO. — COAL.  53 

ilton,  Corniferous,  and  Oriskany  series,  to  get  to  them  passing 
through  the  American  equivalent  of  the  Okl  Red  Sandstone. 
Next  to  the  north  of  these,  in  regular  order,  dipping  south- 
wardly, are  the  rocks  of  the  Upper  Silurian  Age,  including 
the  Djestone  iron  ore  series,  taking  us  to  the  Oneida  grit  in 
the  heart  of  Big  Walker's  Mountain — our  north  boundary 
line  for  Wythe  County. 

COAL. 

Wythe  holds  a  very  respectable  area  of  the  upper  New 
River  series  of  coal  measures.  This  coal  is  usually  assigned 
to  the  Proto-Carboniferous  Epoch.  It  shows  thirteen  distinct 
veins,  and  many  of  the  fossils  developed  would  lead  one  as 
readily  to  place  this  coal  in  one  epoch  as  another,  except, 
perhaps,  the  upper  measures. 

As  may  be  seen  in  the  accompanying  map,  the  coal  is  con- 
fined to  the  northern  side  of  the  county,  running  along  the 
south  base  of  Little  Walker's  Mountain,  except  a  consider- 
able area  in  the  northeast  side,  which  spreads  southwardly, 
extending  to  and  just  over  the  Atlantic,  Mississippi  and  Ohio 
Railroad ;  this  condition  being  observable  near  to,  as  well 
as  about  four  miles  east  of  Max  Meadows  Depot. 

The  veins  of  coal  in  the  south  flank  of  Little  Walker's 
Mountain  run,  almost  continuously  for  twenty-four  miles, 
through  that  part  of  the  county,  with  a  general  average  dip 
of  30  ,  trend  north,  70''  east. 

These  outcrops  are  then  separated  from  those  nearer  the 
Atlantic,  Mississippi  and  Oliio  Railroad  by  an  uprising  of  lower 
rocks,  as  in  Cove  Mountain  and  the  little  ridge  just  south  of 
it.  Thus  the  area  in  wliicli  the  openings  liave  been  made 
near  Max  Meadows  may  be  said  to  be  about  six  miles  h>ng, 
east  and  west,  and  two  miles  wide  from  north  to  south,  at  its 
widest. 

The  veins  in  Little  Walker's  Mountain  have  been  opened 


54  WYTHE   CO. — CO.\L. 

at  several  points  along  tlieir  length  in  the  county,  notably  at 
Boyd's  Mine,  where  the  Stony  Fork  of  Keed  Creek  cuts 
through  the  mountain ;  at  Asa  Brown's  ;  at  two  or  three 
places  north  of  Rural  Betreat  Depot  in  the  west  end,  and  at 
Brown's  Coal  Bank,  in  the  Cove. 

As  already  remarked,  these  veins  number  thirteen  so  far  as 
known.  Beginning  below  is  an  eight-inch  seam,  bedded  upon 
a  thin  stratum  of  quartzeous  black  slate  overlying  a  heavy 
band  of  grindstone  grit.  Nest  above  this  seam  are  ten  feet 
of  black  slate  and  hard  sandstone,  the  sandstone  being  the 
foot  wall  of  a  three-feet  vein  of  semi-bituminous  coal  of  good 
quality  ;  overlying  this,  are  twenty  feet  of  alternate  bands  of 
black  and  gray  slates  and  shales ;  then  twenty-one  inches  of 
really  excellent  flaming  bitiiminous  coal,  of  which  the  analysis 
appears  below  ;  then  thirty  feet  of  gray  and  black  slates  and 
shales  and  thin  bedded  sandstones,  leading  up  to  a  fourteen- 
inch  vein  of  good  bituminous  coal ;  then  one  hundred  feet  of 
alternations  of  gray  slates  and  thin  sandstones,  holding  nine 
veins  of  coal,  no  one  of  which  is  a  foot  thick.  These  meas- 
ures are  not  constant,  though  the  veins  are  continuous  for 
great  distances.  The  disturbances  to  which  they  have  been 
subjected  have  caused  them,  in  places  (as  at  Stony  Fork),  to 
sometimes  assume  a  thickness  of  eight  feet  for  short  dis- 
tances. This  may  be  owing  to  end  compressions,  as  well  as 
to  folding  fi'om  the  opposite  direction. 

In  the  Max  Meadows  and  Clark's  Summit  coal  area,  the 
most  important  oj)enings  are  those  made  by  Joseph  Crockett, 
two  and  a  half  miles  north  of  Max  Meadows  Depot,  showing 
coal  eight  feet  thick :  and  by  Draper  and  others,  one  mile 
north  of  Clark's  Summit,  near  the  Pulaski  line.  This  coal, 
for  the  greater  part  of  the  area,  is  of  a  semi-bituminous  va- 
riety, nearly  approachingan  anthracite.  At  the  Draper  and 
Clark  ojoening  the  coal  dips  southwardly,  showing  several 
good  veins,  th^  best  of  which  is  six  feet  thick.     These  veins 


WTTHE  CO, — lEON.  55 

occupy  a  basin,  tlie  soutLeru  rim  of  which  is  one  quarter  of  a 
mile  south  of  the  Atlantic,  Mississippi  and  Ohio  llaih'oad,  just 
east  of  Clark's  Summit. 

The  analysis  of  the  coal  from  Stony  Fork  is  as  follows,  by 
Thomas  Egleston  : 

Water 0.34: 

Volatile  combustible  matter 21.30 

Fixed  carbon 70.32 

Sulphur l.Gl 

Ash G.43 

The  coal,  the  analysis  of  which  is  just  shown,  from  Little 
Walker's  Mountain,  is  much  preferred  by  blacksmiths.  It  is 
also  used  to  some  extent  in  grates  in  the  town  of  Wytheville, 
giving  very  general  satisfaction. 

The  quantity  so  far  taken  from  these  veins  does  not  exceed 
twelve  hundred  tons.  From  the  excellent  coke  this  coal 
makes,  and  its  nearness  to  existing  lines  of  through  transpor- 
tation, it  should  assume  a  much  more  important  position  than 
it  now  occupies. 

IRON. 

Broivn  Iron  Ore. 

It  is  difficult  to  know  where  to  begin  the  description  of 
what  is  commonly  known  as  "  brown  hematite  iron  ore," 
there  is  so  much  of  it,  of  a  superior  grade,  in  different  parts 
of  the  county.  The  first  great  continuous  horizon  of  it,  men- 
tioned in  describing  the  geology,  occupies  a  position  in  the 
north  flank  of  Iron  Mountain,  near  the  division  between  the 
Potsdam  and  Calciferous  sub-epochs.  It  is  in  the  continuation 
of  the  same  great  Ijolt  described  as  existing  in  the  north  flank 
of  Pilot  Mountain,  in  Montgomery  County,  and  in  the  Laurel 
Creek  country  in  Pulaski  County.  In  Wytlin  County,  at 
nearly  any  point  you  choose  to  inspect  along  the  range,  you 
will  find  heavy  masses  of  this  brown  ore,  sometimes  mixed 


56  "WTTHE   CO. — ANALYSIS   BY  J.  BLODGETT  BRITTON. 

witli  manganiferous  iron  ore,  and  sometimes  giving  way  to 
pure  manganese  ore.  This  great  vein  often  attains  a  thick- 
ness of  more  than  one  hundred  feet,  but  does  not  yield  as 
fine  a  quality  of  ore  as  the  deposits  which  lie  nearer  to  the 
lead  and  zinc  horizon. 

The  quantity  of  ore  which  this  immense  vein  will  yield  in 
the  county,  on  the  Iron  Mountain  spurs,  is  far  greater  than 
that  of  all  other  deposits  combined ;  but,  as  a  general  rule, 
contains  a  few  hundredths  more  of  phosphorus  than  will  ad- 
mit it  as  a  strictly  Bessemer  ore,  as  may  be  seen  from  an  in- 
spection of  the  analysis  here  given  by  Mr.  Britton,  of  ore 
from  this  horizon : 

ANALYSIS  BY  J.    BLODGETT   BRITTON. 

Metallic  iron 57.98 

Insoluble  silicious  matter 49 

Sulphur 19 

Phosphorus 29 

This  ore  can  be  seen  in  large  masses  by  following  up  Fran- 
cis Mill  Creek  near  to  its  head,  upon  w^hich  are  now  located 
the  Sayers  and  Oglesby  Furnace,  and  the  Noble  Furnace. 
These  furnaces,  however,  as  will  be  seen  further  on,  derive 
their  ores  from  the  purer  horizon  nearer  the  lead  and  zinc 
lead.  It  has  been  remarked,  in  the  description  of  Mont- 
gomery County,  that  this  Iron  Mountain  or  Pilot  Mountain 
deposit  of  brown  ore  is  derived  from  the  decomposition  of 
sulphurets ;  a  decomposition,  however,  which  seems  to  have 
been  carried  to  great  depths.  Witliin  the  Calciferous  rocks, 
and  within  nine  hundred  yards  to  the  north  of  the  vein  just 
described,  there  are  two  more  deposits,  more  or  less  con- 
tinuous, rarely  ever  exceeding  twenty  feet  in  thickness, 
and  very  much  the  same  kind  of  ore.  This  series  of  veins 
extends,  almost  continuously,  the  whole  length  of  the  south 
side  of  the  county. 


WYTHE   CO. — THE   SECOND   HOEIZON  OF  BROWN  ORES.  57 

The  Second  Horizmi  of  Brown  Ores. 

Going  northwardly,  the  next  great  belt  of  brown  ores,  are 
those  extending  from  near  the  mouth  of  Reed  Island  Creek 
up  the  New  Eiver  (both  sides)  to  the  mouth  of  Cripple  Creek ; 
thence  up  that  creek  to  its  head,  into  Smyth  County,  whence 
they  pass  on  to  the  southwest. 

This  truly  great  and  valuable  band  of  ores  is  the  one  lying 
about  the  Lead  and  Zinc  Belt,  and  upon  which  are  located 
the  furnaces  and  forges  chiefly.  It  is  sometimes  several 
miles  in  width,  being  governed  in  this  by  the  gentleness  or 
steepness  of  the  dip  of  the  great  band  of  rocks  holding  the 
lead  and  zinc.  This  ore,  as  has  been  stated,  is  due  to  the 
decomposition  of  sulphureted  ores  ;  and  the  hills  in  which  it 
is  usually  found,  being  from  80  to  200  feet  above  the  neigh- 
boring water-courses,  there  is  mining  and  stripping  above  the 
undecomposed  ore  for  many  years  to  come.  This  band  of  ore, 
as  on  the  old  furnace  lands  of  David  Graham,  seems  some- 
times to  occupy  a  fissure  in  the  great  limestone  belt.  This 
may  very  well  be  true.  It  is  plain  that  there  has  been  fissure 
action  along  that  line.  A  close  inspection  of  the  Old  Lead 
Mines  shows  that  lead,  zinc,  and  iron  have  all  been  so  acted 
upon  by  the  heat  resulting  from  pressure  as  to  have  been 
fused  and  interjected  into  the  gangue  surrounding  and  above 
it. 

Following  the  zone  either  way  a  short  distance  from  the  old 
lead  mines,  you  see  these  same  measures  resume  their  orig- 
inal position  as  a  stratification  between  well-defined  ledges. 
On  the  Graham  lands  this  fissure  action  is  evident  from  the 
lode  cutting  across  the  trend  of  the  strata.  And  it  can  be  ac- 
counted for  l)y  recurring  to  the  action  of  the  forces  engaged 
in  folding  tlie  earth's  crust  thereal)outs.  The  crumi)ling  or 
folding  action  was  e^^dently  from  southeast  to  northwest,  and 
where  fragments  of  the  crust  did  not  slide  up  upon  each  other  in 


58  WYTHE   CO. — THE   SECOND   HORIZON  OF  BROWN  ORES. 

monoclinal  sliape,  tliej  proved  "  23ieces  of  resistance  "  to  each 
other,  to  such  an  extent  that,  in  order  to  satisfy  the  general, 
conditions  of  the  whole  action,  they  were  crushed  and  fused 
by  the  great  pressure,  bringing  about  fissure  action  in  the  at- 
tempt of  fused  matter,  gases,  etc.,  to  break  their  way  to  the 
atmosphere  above.  In  the  extract  quoted  on  page  59,  Sir 
Robert  Mallet  gives  a  very  good  general  formula  deduced  from 
his  reasoning  on  the  subject  of  Volcanic  Force  and  Energy : 
but  in  this  district  these  calculations  would  have  to  be  based, 
perhaps,  upon  somewhat  different  data  than  those  assumed 
by  him.  Not  to  be  guilty  of  too  great  a  diversion  just  here, 
it  may  be  as  well  to  say  that  the  once-heated  substance  of  the 
earth,  in  cooling,  no  doubt  left  a  crust  upon  the  outer  surface, 
which,  as  the  whole  continued  to  cool  inward,  was  left  more 
or  less  unsustained,  except  by  its  own  strength  as  a  great  arch. 
This  arch  or  crust,  not  being  able  to  sustain  its  own  pressure, 
gave  way  in  certain  lines  of  fracture  (some  of  which  are  rep- 
resented by  the  trend  of  the  AUeghanies  and  Blue  Eidge 
Mountains),  now  represented  by  great  fragments  extruded 
and  riding  up  upon  each  other,  the  force  from  the  opposite 
direction  (as  the  force  of  compression  is  supposed  to  have 
been  equal  in  all  directions  upon  the  spherical  arch)  being 
compensated  by  cross  flexures  and  the  interlacing  and  inter- 
sliding  of  great  fragments.  Hence,  though  it  may  appear  im- 
practicable to  apply  the  formula  given — which  was,  no  doubt, 
based  upon  equal  resistance  to  a  pressure  exerted  from  all 
sides  alike — still  the  study  of  it  may  lead  to  a  determination 
of  the  problem  as  to  the  probable  depth  at  which  the  fusing 
took  place  in  this  instance.  To  the  general  reader  this  de- 
parture may  be  of  no  interest  whatever,  but  it  is  interesting 
to  some  individuals  to  inquire  into  many  of  these  things  which 
are  puzzling  the  curious  of  our  day  and  generation;  and  it 
may  be  appropriate  to  submit  the  conjecture,  before  dismiss- 
ing the  subject,  that  the  great  lines  of  fracture  represented  by 


WYTHE  CO. — MALLET  ON  VOLCANIC  ENERGY.        59 

the  position  of  tlie  Alleglianies,  Blue  PiiJge,  Eocky  Mountains, 
and  other  mountains,  have  resulted  from  lines  of  vibration  in 
the  earth's  crust,  established  in  their  direction  by  known 
forces,  commencing,  no  doubt,  with  the  first  movements  of  the 
earth  upon  its  axis,  and  gathering  in  intensity  and  defiuite- 
ness,  having  been  modified  and  somewhat  controlled  by  the 
different  forces  of  magnetism  and  gravitation  which  were 
exerted,  from  time  to  time,  by  other  heavenly  bodies. 

SIR  ROBT.  MALLET  ON  VOLCANIC  ENERGY. 

In  treating  the  subject  of  the  immense  geological  forma- 
tion holding  the  iron,  lead,  and  zinc  in  Wythe  and  adjacent 
counties,  it  is  thought  wise  to  introd^^ce  the  following  inter- 
esting exposition  regarding  the  probable  history  of  the  veins, 
as  illustrated  by  a  quotation  from  the  elaborate  paper  of  Sir 
Egbert  Mallet,  F.E.S.,  upon  kindred  siibjects. 

In  an  excellent  treatise  on  Volcanic  Energy,  by  Sir  Egbert 
Mallet,  F.E.S.,  etc.,  kindly  loaned  the  author  by  Professor 
Francis  Smith,  of  the  University  of  Virginia,  are  found,  not 
only  the  formula  mentioned  on  the  preceding  page,  but  a  re- 
markably clear  and  able  exposition  of  the  origin  of  volcanic 
force  and  energy.  Sir  Egbert  Mallet  employs  his  trained 
mathematical  reasoning  and  elaborate  experiments  with  won- 
derful tact ;  and  not  only  the  writer,  but  numerous  others 
would  be  delighted  to  see  him  engage  in  an  investigation,  to 
show  -whether  the  expansive  force  of  the  heat  of  the  still- 
heated  nucleus  of  the  earth  has  anything  to  do  in  counter- 
acting the  pressure  of  the  arched  crust  upon  itself,  which, 
without  any  sucli  check,  would  at  once,  by  its  own  gravita- 
tion, begin  to  be  exerted  with  destructive  effect ;  this  ex- 
pansive force  itself  being  held  in  equilibrium  by  the  nicely- 
proportioned  weight  of  the  Bui)erincumbont  df)me,  liaving 
such  a  thickness  and  weight  as  would  be  required  to  sup- 


60 


WYTHE  CO. — MALLET  ON  VOLCANIC  ENEEGY. 


press  a  dangerous  excess  of  expansive  energy  from  below. 
Such  an  investigation,  in  sucli  able  hands,  might  lead  to  a 
clear  and  incontrovertible  showing  of  the  thickness  of  the 
earth's  crust,  within  a  few  thousand  feet  of  the  truth. 

The  author  will  present  the  formula,  with  the  theorem 
upon  which  it  is  based,  leaving  to  the  reader  to  investigate 
the  loliole  subject  in  Sm  Egbert's  paper. 

"  If  a  curved  surface  (of  the  nature  of  a  hollow  shell  or  membrane)  be  in 
equilibrium  when  exposed  to  forces  acting  normally  to  the  surface  every- 
where, then  the  normal  pressure  at  any  point  is  equal  to  the  force  in  the  di- 
rection of  the  surface  (or  shell)  at  that  point  multiplied  into  the  sum  of  the 
reciprocals  of  the  principal  radii  of  curvature. 

****  **** 

"  83.  Let  P  (Fig.  7)  be. the  normal  pressure  upon  the  unit  of  surface  (square 
inch  or  mile)  cut  from  a  pair  of  intersecting  ribbons  of  the  curved  surface,  as 

a,  b,  and  c,  d,  at 
right  angles  to  each 
other,  and  of  unit 
breadth  ;  1^  the  tan- 
gential thrust  on 
any  of  the  faces  of 
the  unit  square,  re- 
spectively opposite 
( which,  as  being 
small  in  relation  to 
the  radii  of  curva- 
ture, may  be  con- 
sidered as  plane). 
"  Let  the  two  ra- 
dii of  principal  curvature  (in  a,  b,  and  c,  d,)  be  g^  and  ^r^ ,  then,  as  expressed 
in  the  theorem, 

p=r('+i) 1. 

"  T'  having  the  same  value. 

"As  regards  the  present  application  of  the  theorem,  as  the  differences  of 
g,  and^f,;  for  our  globe  are  very  small  (comparable  with  the  difference  between 
the  polar  and  equatorial  radii),  and  scarcely  sensibly  aflfect  the  curvature  of 
the  surface  within  limited  areas,  we  may  consider  our  globe  as  spherical, 
and  gi  =  g.^,  whence  Equation  I.  becomes 

ff   ' 


P  = 


II. 


Ajid 


P    X 


ff 


III. 


"With  this  formula,  which  is  sustained  by  such   eminent 
authority  as  "Lagrange"  and  " Pegfessge  E.  S.  Ball,"  of 


"WYTHE  CO. — THE  SECOND   HORIZON  OF  BROWN  ORES.  Gl 

Dublin,  Sir  Kobert  calculates  tlie  thrust  or  pressure  near  tlie 
earth's  surface,  represented  by  T,  to  be  952,666  tons  per 
square  foot,  basing  the  calculation  upon  the  density  and  re- 
sistance of  granite,  which  pressure  is  472  times  greater  than 
is  necessary  to  crush  granite  or  porphyry. 

For  a  continuation  of  the  subject,  the  reader  is  referred  to 
the  paper  by  Sir  Robert  Mallet,  recorded  in  the  "  Philo- 
sophical Transactions  of  the  Eoyal  Society,"  June  20th,  1872. 

To  return  to  the  subject  of  the  brown  iron  ore  of  the  great 
belt  of  Wythe,  it  is  of  such  importance,  both  from  its  purity 
and  quantity,  that  it  can  very  truthfully  be  declared  worthy 
of  a  full  discussion,  both  as  to  its  origin  and  the  accidents  to 
which  it  has  been  subjected;  but  brief  space  renders  it  neces- 
sary to  give  all  the  information  obtained  in  relation  to  it  in  as 
few  words  as  possible. 

Perhaps  the  largest  development  of  these  ores  near  the 
eastern,  or  Pulaski  side  of  the  county,  will  be  found  at  Rich 
Hill,  the  property  of  Forney,  and  on  Little  Reed  Island  Creek, 
a  mile  or  more  south.  No  exact  measure  of  these  deposits 
is  possible  to  be  taken.  That  they  are  very  extensive  the  wide 
surface  showings  amply  prove ;  and  at  the  beds  in  Little 
Reed  Island  Creek,  the  ores  show  for  hundreds  of  feet  in 
width,  in  terrace  shape,  about  60  feet  above  the  present  level 
of  the  creek — the  only  probable  evidence  of  the  terrace  epoch 
in  this  section  of  the  country.  Those  ores  have  resulted,  in 
all  probability,  not  only  from  the  decomposition  of  adjacent 
sulpliurets,  but  the  creek  at  a  remote  day  has  no  doubt 
brought  them  down  in  solution  from  the  great  decomposing 
sulphureted  beds  and  veins  of  iron  and  copper  in  the  coun- 
ty of  Carroll  above.  Tliat  they  are  in  surprising  masses,  an^,l 
in  the  position  indicated,  the  most  casual  examination  will 
show. 

From  these  latter  beds  the  "  Boom  Furnace  "  will  derive  the 
most  of  its  ores,  when  completed.     The  next  good  showing  is 


62  WYTHE  CO. — THE  SECOND   HORIZON  OF  BEOWN  ORES. 

at  Graliam's  new  furnace,  soutli  bank  of  New  River.  The 
next  great  outcrop  then  is  at  the  old  Peirce  ore  bank,  about 
two-thirds  of  a  mile  south  of  Peirce's  Falls  on  New  Piver.  A 
quantity  of  this  ore  was  at  one  time  used  at  the  Old  Poplar 
Camp  Forge,  now  not  in  existence.  This  ore  is  evidently 
bedded  on  a  limestone  foot  wall,  which  has  a  dip  toward  south- 
west of  about  45^,  and  is  distant  from  the  uprising  hard  Pots- 
dam sandstone  in  Roaring  Falls  Mountain  about  one-fourth 
of  a  mile  to  the  southwest.  It  appears  to  be  over  40  feet 
thick  at  this  point,  trending  east  and  west. 

Then  again,  near  the  new  furnace  of  the  Wythe  County 
Mining  and  Manufacturing  Co.,  near  Peirce's  Falls,  is  a  new 
opening  in  the  ore  of  great  richness  and  value.  From  both 
these  places  the  furnace  last  mentioned  will  derive  its  ore. 

A  section  taken  north  and  south,  across  the  general  direc- 
tion of  this  series  in  the  neighborhood,  determines  the  ore 
field  to  be  not  less  than  two  and  three-quarter  miles  broad, 
which  is  divided  nearly  equally  by  New  River  at  Peirce's 
Falls.  Thus,  on  the  north  side  of  the  river,  nearly  oj^posite 
the  last-named  furnace,  is  that  part  of  this  rich  ore  belt  in 
which  one  of  the  first  iron-masters  of  the  section,  Mr.  David 
Graham,  located  his  first  furnace  and  the  forge,  rolling-mill 
and  nail  works,  now  known  as  Graliam's  Forge.  Although  a 
great  deal  of  ore  has  been  both  stripped  and  mined  in  this 
neighborhood,  it  is  highly  probable  that  the  great  body  of  the 
ore  still  remains  intact.  A  most  cursory  examination  will 
show  the  great  limestones,  which  accompany  the  lead  and 
zinc  veins,  outcropping  throughout  this  part  of  the  ore  belt. 
Their  dip  is  usually  southwardly  through  the  Graham  lands, 
but  this  is  by  no  means  constant.  Holding  as  they  do  large 
quantities  of  sulphurets,  their  decomposition  (sometimes  in 
situ)  has  left  large  quantities  of  a  pure  brown  iron  ore.  It  is 
in  this  immediate  section,  near  the  residence  of  D.  P.  Graham, 
that  twelve  feet  thickness  of  sulphuret  may  be  noticed,  just 


WYTHE   CO. — THE   SECOND   HOEIZON   OF   BROWN  ORES.  63 

below  water  level,  in  a  fissure  between  great  masses  of  the 
limestone.  This  is  a  part  of  the  fissure  referred  to  on  jDage 
58.  It  is  also  alluded  to  in  a  paper  on  this  section,  reported 
in  the  "  Transactions  of  the  American  Institute  of  Mining  En- 
gineers," vol.  v.,  page  85,  also  in  a  report  on  the  "  Minerals  of 
New  River,"  made  by  the  author  to  Col.  Wm.  P.  Craighill  of 
the  IT.  S.  Engineers,  Exec.  Doc,  Nov.  25th,  Third  Session, 
45th  Congress,  U.  S. 

Then,  again,  as  you  proceed  southwest,  in  a  section  taken 
across  this  series  of  ores,  near  the  old  Wythe  lead  and  zinc 
mines,  the  same  broad  exhibit  of  surface  showing  is  to  be 
found.  Over  the  Lead  Mine's  Hill,  south  of  New  River,  and 
in  the  vicinity  of  Walton  Furnace,  about  two  miles  north  of 
the  river,  these  excellent  brown  ores  have  been  mined  and 
their  intrinsic  value  fully  tested. 

It  is  possible  that  these  ores  make  a  metal  that  has  no 
superior  for  car-wheels  and  all  other  purposes  requiring  an 
iron  of  uniform  strength. 

Then,  again,  going  southwest,  this  series  shows  other  groat 
deposits  in  the  vicinity  of  Brown  Hill  Furnace,  Cripple 
Creek,  the  ores  now  mined  there  being  taken  from  the  great 
lead  and  zinc  band  near  Abraham  Painters,  the  deposits  of 
iron  ore  being  within  150  feet  of  the  zinc  ores. 

In  fact  the  original  sulphureted  veins  are  now  known  to 
alternate  with  the  veins  of  lead  and  zinc,  though  generally 
distinct.  This  ore,  which  has  been  in  use  for  some  time  at 
Brown  Hill  Furnace,  assays  as  follows  for  Mr.  John  M.  Sher- 
B^VBD,  analyst : 

Metallic  iron 55.702 

Silica 4.500 

Phosphorus 0.0745 

Then,  one-half  mile  north  of  Brown  Hill  Furnace,  the  samo 


6-i         WYTHE   CO. — THE  SECOND  HORIZON  OF  BROWN  ORES. 

band  of  rocks  outcrop,  yielding  very  mucli  tlie  same  kind  of 
ore. 

A  few  miles  west  of  the  last-named  vicinity  the  old  forge 
lands  of  the  late  Alexander  Peirce  present  the  same  general 
features,  showing  this  brown  iron  ore  in  masses  sufficient  to 
warrant  the  belief  of  its  existence  in  very  large  quantities, 
such  as  would  be  required  to  carry  on  operations  of  some 
magnitude.  In  some  j)laces  the  mass  of  strata,  which,  by  de- 
composing, has  given  such  immense  surface  quantities  of  this 
ore,  is  fully  180  feet  thick,  as  found  in  position  almost  undis- 
turbed. 

Then,  again,  at  the  old  Eagle  Furnace,  for  miles  on  both 
sides  of  CrijDple  Creek,  these  same  conditions  are  observable. 

The  old  Lockett  and  Huddle  Forges,  now  out  of  use,  have 
sent  some  of  the  finest  blooms  to  market,  made  from  these 
ores,  that  perhaps  were  ever  made.  Except  for  small  quan- 
tities of  impurities,  other  than  sulphur  and  jjhosphorus,  the 
blooms  were  chemically  pure. 

A  few  miles  farther  west  this  series  makes  surface  show- 
ings more  southwardly.  The  Eavenscliff  Furnace,  the  fur- 
nace of  Sayers  &  Oglesby,  the  new  furnaces  on  and  near 
Francis  Mill  Creek,  and  the  Noble  and  Beverly  furnaces  de- 
rive and  expect  to  obtain  their  ores  from  beds  of  this  series, 
which  are  well  nigh  thrust  up  within  the  area  'covered  by 
the  Iron  Mountain  ores  proper ;  but  still  they  are  decided- 
ly distinct,  the  accompanying  variegated  limestones  pecu- 
liar to  the  lead  and  zinc  measures  at  once  betraying  their 


origin. 


Here  these  ores  form  a  body  which  will  yield  not  less  than 
one  million  of  tons,  together  with  its  immediately  neighbor- 
ing deposits  of  the  same  series. 

A  close  analysis  rendered  by  Mr.  James  Aumann  and 
others  gives  nearly  the  following  results  : 


nitowN  iiiui.  ixiiNAi.T.,   wvTiin;  co.,  VA. 
(P.  04.) 


WYTHE   CO. — THE  SECOND   HORIZON  OF  BROWN  ORES. 


65 


No.  1. — Air  Dry. 

MetaUic  iron 58.149 

Water 12.96 

Alumina 3. 33 

Silica 1.09 

Magnesia Trace. 

Phosphorus None. 


r 


Powder    a     deep    reddish 

brown. 
The  roasted  ore  gave  67.335 

per  cent,  of  metallic  iron. 


No.  2. — Air  Dry. 


Metallic  iron 55.54 

Water 11.73 

Alumina 5.89 

Silica 2.73 

Magnesia Trace. 

Pliosphorus None. 


Roasted,  the  ore  gave  68.04 
per  cent,  of  metallic  iron. 


No.  3. — Air  Dry. 

Metallic  iron 47.82  1 

Alumina 11.53 

Water 10.83 

Silica 9.87 

Magnesia 0. 06 

Phosphorus None. 


Roasted,  the  ore  gave  53.28 
per  cent,  of  metallic  iron. 


Next  to  the  southwest  in  this  series  occur  the  ores  used 
by  the  okl  Porter  Forge — of  excellent  character.  Then, 
again,  near  to  and  just  south  of  the  Speedwell  Furuaco,  these 
ores  outcrop,  across  their  general  direction,  for  more  than  a 
mile.   Their  excellence  and  purity  still  remain  a  chief  feature. 

Then,  again  and  again,  as  you  proceed  southwest,  toward 
Smyth  County,  the  same  peculiar  brown  iron  ore,  either  com- 
pact or  honeycombed,  makes  its  appearance,  staining  the 
soil  red  all  along  with  a  color  peculiar  to  the  ore. 

It  will  be  impossible  to  give  any  approximate  idea  of  the 
quantity  this  great  lead  of  iron  ore  will  yield.  That  it  will 
go  high  into  the  millions  developments  will  no  doubt  amply 
prove. 


66  WYTHE  CO. — BROWN   OEES. 

The  Broion  Iron   Ores  and  3Iangamferous   Ores  of  Lick  and 

Draper  s  Mountains. 

The  ores  of  this  series  belong  to  the  same  horizon  as  those 
in  the  north  spurs  of  the  Iron  Mountain  and  Pilot  Mountain, 
and  their  general  character  is  nearly  the  same,  though  they 
occasionally  yield  an  ore  of  high  purity. 

Some  of  these  veins  and  deposits  are  exceedingly  massive, 
often  running  for  great  distances,  preserving  a  thickness 
measuring  sometimes  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet,  but  usually 
not  over  twenty-eight  or  thirty  feet,  the  fine  mangauiferous 
ore  of  the  Glade  Ore  Bank  not  being  over  ten  feet  thick. 

Both  in  Lick  Mountain,  on  either  side,  and  in  Draper's 
Mountain,  these  ores  are  persistent,  and  give  tlie  following 
results  by  analysis : 

No.  1. — Taken  from  a  deposit  of  Kent  &  Stuart's,  near  A.  Hoilman's,  south  of 
Wytheville;  analyzed  by  Db.  J.  W.  Mallet,  gave  the  following 
results: 

Ferric  oxide 77.46— Metallic  iron,  54.43, 

Manganese  oxide 0,64 

Alumina 1,07 

Lime 33 

Magnesia 45 

Silica  and  insoluble  silicious  matter 10.60  f 

Phosphorus  protoxide 0,27 

Organic  matter Trace, 

Water 8.73 

No,  3,  by  the  same  chemist 46.63  p,  ct.  met.  iron.  ' 

No.  3,      "  "  from  the  Sun  Rocks 55.61     " 

No.  4,      "  "  Stroup's  Branch 46.85     " 

No.  5,      "  "  Q\  miles  south  of  Wytheville,  46.33     " 

No.  6,      "  "  above  Hudson's 59.16    "  " 

These  ores  are  all  of  the  horizon  in  the  lowest  part  of  the 
Calciferous  beds,  and  lower  than  the  lead  and  zinc  zone. 


(( 


(< 


WYTHE   CO. — BROWN  ORES.  67 

They  may  be  said  to  extend  in  lines,  not  so  persistent  from 
the  Wythe-Pulaski  line,  just  south  of  Clark's  Summit,  through 
Draper's  and  Lick  Mountains,  in  the  direction  of  the  White 
Kock  or  Panic  Furnace,  but  dying  out  with  Lick  Mountain, 
before  reaching  the  Wythe-Smyth  boundary  line.  They 
again  come  up  in  the  series  of  ridges  making  up  Glade  and 
White  Eock  Mountains  in  Smyth  County,  and  are  fully  de- 
scribed in  detail  in  the  chapters  on  Smyth  County. 

Going  northwardly,  passing  over  some  minor  deposits  in 
the  Coal  Measures,  in  the  eastern  end  of  the  county,  and  a 
band  of  Oriskany  brown  ores  in  the  south  of  Cove  Mountain 
and  Queen's  Knob,  the  next  deposit  of  magnitude  is  in  a  line 
of  ores  extending  through  Crockett's  Cove,  and  found  in  posi- 
tion between  the  Black  Eiver  and  Trenton  limestones,  fi-om 
six  to  eighteen  feet  in  thickness.  This  range  of  ores  extends 
from  the  western  termination  of  Queen's  Knob,  through  the 
above  cove,  nearly  to  the  northeast  corner  of  the  county, 
yielding  an  ore  generally  regarded  as  being  of  good  quality. 

The  Cove  ore,  just  mentioned,  together  with  the  band  of 
ores  lying  near  the  Coal  Measures  in  Little  Walker's  Moun- 
tain, and  the  Oriskany  brown  ores  and  others  in  Big  Walk- 
er's Mountain,  make  up  quite  a  respectable  aggregate  for  the 
north  side  of  the  county. 

The  Coal  Measure  ores  seem  to  present  two  distinct  bands  : 
one  lying  just  south  of  the  measures  throughout  the  whole 
length  of  the  county,  giving  masses  frequently  10  feet  thick, 
and  the  other  a  vein  30  feet  above  the  upper  coal  vein,  about 
18  inches,  and,  likewise,  persistent.  The  analysis  of  the  first 
by  TiiOiiAS  Egleston,  of  Columbia  College,  is  as  follows  : 

Metallic  iron 57.7 

Silica L5G 

Sulpliur 0.085 

Phosphorus 0.850 


68  WYTHE   CO. — BROWN  ORES. 

The  analysis  of  tlie  Coal  Measure  brown  ore  taken  from 
Stony  Fork  Gap,  is  as  follows,  by  the  same  chemist : 

Metallic  iron 54.00 

Silica 8.71 

Sulphur 0.104 

Phosphorus 0.205 

After  this,  and  last  of  any  consequence,  is  the  Oriskany 
brown  ore  in  the  south  slope  of  Big  Walker's  Mountain. 
This  measure  is  often  18  to  20  feet  thick,  sometimes  perfectly 
free  from  silica,  but  usually  well  mixed  with  it ;  sometimes 
highly  mangauiferous,  and  occasionally  replaced  by  manga- 
nese. Fragments  of  this  ore  taken  from  near  where  the 
Tazewell  Turnpike  crosses  this  ore  series,  give  the  following 
analysis  by  Thomas  Egleston  : 

Metallic  iron 43.5 

Silica 27.60 

Sulphur 0.158 

Phosphorus 0.082 

This  band  of  ore  is  generally  persistent,  and  frequently 
along  its  length  in  Wythe  County  yields  fine  bodies  of  ore 
of  both  iron  and  manganese. 

To  conclude  the  chapter  on  brown  iron  ores,  it  might  be 
appropriate  to  give  some  idea  of  the  quantity  the  county  of 
Wythe  is  likely  to  yield.  An  impartial  examination  into  this 
question  of  quantity  will  leave  any  one  at  a  loss  to  apj)roxi- 
mate  the  great  array  of  figures  necessary  to  determine  it. 
Could  these  brown  ores,  the  magnetic  ores,  and  the  red  iron 
ores  of  the  county  be  brought  together,  such  would  be  the 
quantity,  and  such  the  general  character,  that  it  would  be 
difficult  to  find  anywhere  else  all  the  conditions  so  favorable 
for  the  production  of  a  high  grade  of  metal  on  a  large  scale. 


^TTTHE   CO. — RED   lEON  ORES.  69 


Red  Iron  Ores. 


Occasionally  in  tlie  great  New  Eiver  and  Cripple  Creek 
series  of  brown  ores,  the  ores  will  assume  the  character  of  a 
red  or  true  hematite,  but  these  instances  are  only  local. 

No  doubt  there  are  valuable  bands  of  specular  ore  in  Iron 
Mountain,  but  they  have  not  been  sufficiently  explored  yet 
to  determine  their  exact  position,  measures,  quality,  etc. 

But  Wythe  County,  like  Washington,  and  the  west  end  of 
Smyth  County,  possesses  a  valuable  band  of  semi-magnetic 
red  iron  ores,  which  sometimes  attains  a  thickness  of  15  feet, 
and  rarely  measures  less  than  9  feet. 

What  is  known  as  the  Yost,  or  Blair  ore  bank,  found  two 
miles  northwest  from  Wytheville,  is  in  this  series.  It  yields 
as  follows,  by  the  analysis  of  Thomas  Egleston  of  Columbia 
College  : 

Metallic  iron 61.7 

Silica 4.21 

Sulphur 0.096 

Phosphorus 0.075 

Much  of  the  ore  in  this  band  will  do  better  than  the  above 
in  every  respect ;  and,  as  to  quantity,  so  unusual  has  it  been 
to  attribute  any  large  quantity  of  ore  to  the  northern  side  of 
the  county,  by  the  old  iron  workers  on  tjie  south  side,  that  it 
would  be  difficult  to  convince  the  general  public  of  the  fine 
prospect  that  a  good  yield  of  ore  may  be  expected  from  the 
beds  under  discussion.  An  examination  of  this  lino  of  ores, 
extending  over  a  period  of  several  years,  shows  that  tlio  oro 
near  Wytheville  is  not  an  accidental  deposit,  but  belongs  to 
a  series,  composed  sometimes  of  more  than  one  vein,  wliich 
belongs  geologically  to  a  system  of  rocks  near  wliat  are 
known  as  the  St.  Peter  sandstones,  sometimes  next  to  tliem, 


70  WYTHE   CO. — SULPHUEETED   IRON   ORES. 

and  again  separated  from  tliem  by  a  broad  band  of  black 
slates  and  dark  ferruginous  sandstones.  In  Wasliington 
County  this  condition  is  amply  shown  at  the  Gollaher  ore 
bank,  four  miles  east  of  Abingdon,  as  well  as  at  other  points. 

It  is  on  the  north  side  of  Pine  Ridge,  in  "Wythe  County, 
that  the  best  exhibits  of  this  ore  are  found,  and  a  farther 
and  closer  examination,  in  the  thirteen  miles  length  on  the 
west  side  of  the  county,  is  expected  to  show  several  valuable 
deposits. 

The  only  other  band  of  red  iron  ore  in  the  county  yet  ex- 
plored is  the  dyestone,  or  fossil  band  on  the  south  flank  of 
Big  Walker's  Mountain,  near  the  north  boundary  line  of  the 
county.  This  ore  is  in  two  distinct  measures — one,  the  fos- 
sil ore,  18  inches  thick,  made  up  of  aggregations  of  fossils 
and  pebbles,  yielding  rarely  over  45  per  cent,  of  iron.  The 
other  is  an  ore  of  compact  slaty  structure,  which  will  yield 
more  iron  no  doubt,  and  would  be  a  fine  ore  to  mix  with 
other  varieties.  This  latter  is  found  three  feet  thick  on  the 
road  leading  from  Mount  Airy  to  Eich  Valley. 

Magnetic  Iron  Ore. 

Except  in  the  red  ores,  two  miles  northwest  from  Wythe- 
ville,  magnetic  ore  is  not  positively  located  in  Wythe  County 
in  any  appreciable  quantities.  In  the  Iron  Mountain  a  vein 
of  this  ore  is  reported.  This  report  is  credited  by  a  great 
many  iron  men,  but  as  yet  it  is  not  jDositively  ascertained. 

Sulphureted  Iron  Ores. 

It  is  the  belief  of  the  author  that  all  the  ores  enumerated, 
except  the  dyestone  ores,  and  the  stratum  of  ore  nearest  the 
coal  measures,  are  derived  from  the  decomposition  of  sul- 
phureted ores.  This  opinion  has  been  adopted  after  a  long 
and  close  study  of  all  the  deposits  and  their  extensions  at 


WYTHE  CO. — LEAD  AOT)  ZINC. 


71 


many  different  points.     But  tlie  quantity  of  iron  sulpliuret, 
known  as  sucli,  in  the  county,  is  great. 

In  the  lead  and  zinc  veins,  and  in  strata  lying  near  to 
them,  are  large  quantities  of  iron  pyrites.  This  taken  in 
connection  with  the  quantity  of  sulphuret  below  water  level, 
underlying  the  great  iron  veins  mentioned,  must  aggregate 
so  vast  a  quantity  as  to  be  without  limit. 

MANGANESE. 

The  localities  in  which  manganese  is  found  in  any  quantity 
are  Iron  Mountain,  the  Eeed  Island  country,  Lick  and  Dra- 
per's Mountains,  the  Glade,  and  Big  Walker's  Mountain. 

The  manganese  ores  in  the  north  spurs  of  Iron  Mountain 
are  sometimes  quite  pure  and  abundant ;  usually  as  black 
oxide,  but  occasionally  a  handsome  crystalline  ore  of  high 
purity.  The  ores  near  New  River,  above  the  mouth  of  Beed 
Island  Creek,  belong  to  the  variety  known  as  Manganese 
Cream,  and  seem  to  be  abundant. 

At  the  Glade  ore  bank,  four  miles  southwest  from  Max 
Meadows  Depot,  the  manganese  is  found  both  combined  with 
and  entirely  distinct  from  the  iron  ore.  It  appears  to  be  in 
quantities. 

In  Lick  and  Draper's  Mountains  there  are  occasional  de- 
posits, the  extent  of  which  is  not  yet  fully  known.  The  ores 
found  in  Big  Walker's  Mountain  are  those  mentioned  as  run- 
ning with  the  Oriskany  Rocks.  They  are  now  and  then  very 
pure  and  handsome. 

•  LEAD  AND  ZINC. 

It  would  be  a  pleasure  to  give  a  very  thorough  and  com- 
plete description  (jf  the  lead  and  zinc  deposits  of  Wythe ; 
their  geological  position,  the  kind  of  rocks  in  which  thoy 
occur,  and  their  exact  thickness  ;   together  with  a  complete 


72  WYTHE   CO. — LEAD  AND  ZINC. 

history  of  their  discovery  and  utilization.  But  it  is  feared 
that  many  interesting  points  will  be  overlooked ;  not  through 
any  disposition  to  slight  one  of  the  most  important  and  in- 
teresting subjects  mentioned  in  the  book,  but  want  of  space 
compels  brevity. 

Geological. — The  lower  rocks  of  No.  2,  in  which  occur  the 
great  lead  and  zinc  series  of  Southwestern  Virginia,  pass 
almost  continuously  through  the  whole  length  of  the  south- 
ern section  of  "Wythe  County  ;  not  alwaj's  presenting  the 
strata  of  like  richness  in  ore  throughout,  but  over  consider- 
able areas,  developing  the  veins  in  thick  and  massive  meas- 
ures. Here  and  there,  the  strata  next  in  order  beneath  have 
been  thrust  up  so  prominently  across  the  direction  of  the 
series,  as  to  cause  the  extrusion  and  consequent  loss  of  some 
of  the  lead  and  zinc  ores. 

The  rocks  in  which  the  ores  occur  are  usually  mentioned 
as  dolomites,  but  this  statement  cannot  be  fully  accepted,  as 
much  of  the  material  accompanying  the  ore  strata  is  a  highly 
crvstalline  limestone,  sometimes  silicious.  It  would  be  diffi- 
cult  to  say  precisely  how  far  above  the  last  of  the  Scolithus- 
marked  sandstones  the  lead  and  zinc  zone  lies.  The  two  are 
separated  by  alternations  of  red  Calciferous  slates,  and  blue 
and  white  limestones,  in  some  places  nearly  900  yards  thick, 
with  the  immediate  ore-bearing  ledges  generally,  but  not 
always,  resting  upon  silicious  limestone.  The  ore-bearing 
strata  is  marked  all  the  way  through  by  a  wavy  white  and 
blue  spotted  limestone,  looking  as  though  it  was  once  full  of 
what  now  appears  an  indistinct  fossil ;  or,  perhaps,  owing  its 
appearance  to  gentle  wave  action  in  a  shallow,  chopping  sea. 
The  ore  strata  along  the  continuation  of  the  series  in  a  direc- 
tion north  70°  east,  and  south  70"^  west,  dips  at  various  angles. 
At  the  old  Wythe  Lead  and  Zinc  Mines,  at  Austinville,  New 
Kiiver,  the  measures  and  dips  are  as  follows :  The  principal 
vein  was  found  40  feet  thick,  dipping  south  20°  east,  at  an 


WYTHE    CO. — LEAD   AND   ZINC.  73 

angle  of  about  70°,  readied  hj  a  tunnel  1,600  feet  long,  the 
shaft  from  the  top  of  the  hill  down  to  water  level  being 
about  245  feet  in  aepth.  The  walls  of  the  vein  here  are  the 
so-called  dolomite — highly  crystalline.  It  is  highly  probable 
that  this  immediate  portion  of  the  series  has  been  so  acted 
upon  by  heat  resulting  from  pressure  that  the  original  char- 
acter of  the  walls  has  been  greatly  changed ;  but  at  Hen- 
drick's,  formerly  Kitchen  &  Painters',  the  original  condi- 
tions are  preserved.  Thus,  according  to  the  measures  taken 
there,  a  true  reading  is  as  follows :  Beginning  on  the  floor 
or  southeast  wall  of  the  main  measure,  we  have  144  feet  of 
heavy  zinc  blende-bearing  strata  dipping  northwest  at  an 
angle  of  30' ;  then  36  feet  of  dolomite  with  occasional 
spots  of  zinc  and  lead ;  36  feet  of  iron  sulphuret  and 
oxide ;  90  feet  dolomite  rock,  containing  large  veins  and  de- 
posits of  zinc  and  lead  sulphuret,  one  of  which  is  18  feet 
thick  ;  180  feet  of  iron,  zinc,  and  barytes  heavily  disseminated 
in  the  rock ;  then  toward  the  northern  side  or  hanging  wall, 
an  indefinite  amount  of  crystalline  limestone  more  or  less 
charged  with  barytes. 

At  the  Bertha  Zinc  Mine,  in  the  eastern  or  lower  end  of 
the  county,  and  at  Forney's  Mine,  next  west  of  the  Bertha, 
the  mining  has  not  extended  below  the  decomposed  surface 
ores,  hence  no  exact  measures  have  been  taken  there.  At 
Sayers,  on  Little  Reed  Island  Creek,  lead  sulphuret  in 
some  masses  has  been  mined ;  and  toward  the  west  end  of  the 
series,  on  Upper  Cripple  Creek,  on  land  of  D.  C.  James  and 
others,  west  of  that  point,  lead  sulphuret  and  fragments  of 
zinc  ore  are  occasionally  found. 

The  kinds  of  zinc  ores  of  the  whole  series  are  oxides,  sid- 
pliides,  and  large  quantities  of  a  silico-carbonato — both  at  the 
old  Wythe  Mines,  at  Austinvill*',  and  ut  the  Bortlia  and  For- 
ney's Mines.  About  15,000  tons  of  zinc  silicates  and  carbon- 
ates have  been  taken  from  surface  miues  at  the  Wythe  Load 


74  WYTHE   CO. — LEAD   AND   ZINC   MINES    COMPANY. 

and  Zinc  Mines,  and  from  the  Bertlia  Mines  about  2,100  tons 
of  a  very  handsome  silicate  and  carbonate,  mixed  with  oxide, 
and  smelted  at  the  new  zinc  works  at  Martin's  Station, 
Pulaski  County,  Virginia,  yielding  30  per  cent,  of  metal. 

In  the  deep  Avorkings  of  the  Wythe  Lead  and  Zinc  Mines 
the  Einc  ore  is  a  blende  principally,  as  well  as  at  the  Crusen- 
berry  &  Kitchen  Mine.  At  the  latter  two  the  ores  of  zinc 
and  lead  are  sometimes  alternately  stratified.  The  great  mass 
of  these  ores  in  the  county  is  far  above  the  power  of  compu- 
tation, as  they  are  not  only  thick,  but  extend  over  much 
ground.  The  kinds  of  lead  ore  are,  galena,  carbonate,  oxide, 
arseniate,  phosphate,  and  occasionally  molybdate ;  galena 
being  the  most  abundant  ore,  the  carbonate  is  nearly  ex- 
hausted, and  the  others  exceedingly  rare. 

THE   FURNACE  AND   WORKS   OF  THE   WYTHE    LEAD    AND    ZINC   illNES 

COMPANT. 

The  first  work  done  at  these  mines  was  about  the  year 
1756,  the  lead  being  reduced  from  the  ore  in  the  most  prim- 
itive manner;  but  it  was  not  until  the  mines  fell  into  the 
hands  of  Eaper,  Sr.,  and  his  associates,  about  1830,  that  the 
old  Scotch  system  was  introduced.  This,  with  some  modifi- 
cations, is  still  in  use.  The  power  used  to  crush  and  separate 
the  ores  and  gangue  is  derived  from  New  River,  upon  the 
south  bank  of  which  the  works  are  situated,  and  they  now 
employ  in  the  mines,  furnaces  and  separators  about  150 
men. 

In  the  last  three  years  the  company  has  constructed  four 
round  buddies,  twelve  jigs,  and  a  new  roasting  reverberatory 
furnace ;  ha\"ing,  also,  introduced  a  fine  air  compressor  to 
ventilate  the  mines  with,  and  to  run  a  Burleigh  drill,  the  air 
being  forced  through  a  four-inch  wrought-iron  pipe. 

The  company  sells  its  zinc  ores,  only  reducing  the  lead. 


•^VYTHE   CO. — COPPER,  75 

The  product  of  the  mines  is  now  three  tons  of  metal  daily.  As 
the  markets  seem  to  justif}^  it,  this  product  is  made  into  pig 
lead  or  shot,  sometimes  both.  The  shot  tower  in  use  is  a  shaft 
242  feet  deep,  situated  nearly  at  the  farther  extremity  of  the 
1,600  feet  tunnel.  The  shot  is  then  loaded  into  a  car  on  a 
tramway  and  run  out  to  the  shot-house  at  surface,  where 
they  are  put  through  the  process  of  separation,  sizing,  and 
glazing.  The  shot  tower  is,  perhaps,  one  of  the  best  in  the 
world  ;  and,  owing  to  the  nature  of  the  lead,  the  shot  made  is 
looked  upon  in  the  markets  as  the  equal,  if  not  the  superior, 
of  the  best  shot  made  anywhere  else. 

It  may  be  as  well  to  say,  before  closing  the  subject,  that 
the  capital  stock  of  this  company  is  $400,000,  divided  into 
shares  of  twenty  dollars  each, 

COPPER, 

Many  of  the  most  valuable  ores  being  so  lavishly  distrib- 
uted in  different  parts  of  the  county,  it  would  seem  that  it 
had  already  enough  without  attempting  to  enumerate  others ; 
but  so  far  as  copper  ore  is  known  in  Wythe,  the  quantity 
ascertained  is  smaU. 

Beautiful  specimens  have  been  taken  from  ground  near 
Abraham  Painter's,  by  Gallimore,  an  experienced  miner. 
They  comprise  both  carbonates  and  sulphides,  the  former 
apparently  resulting  from  the  decomposition  of  the  latter. 
It  is  not  probable  that  the  vein  is  a  thick  one.  It  occurs 
near  the  middle  of  an  eigliteen-feet  measure  of  lead  and 
zinc,  mentioned  in  the  description  of  the  Lead  and  Zinc  Zone. 

The  slates  of  the  Calciferous  sub-epoch  aomotiines  yield 
small  quantities  of  Copper  ore,  but  the  only  otlior  deposit 
worthy  of  mention  is  a  body  of  ore  yielding  nine  per  cent, 
of  copper,  lying  one  mile  northwest  from  Max  Meadows  De- 
pot, which  is  supposed  by  many  persons  to  have  resulted 


76  WTTHE   CO. — MAEBLE. 

from  glacial  action.  It  is  a  sulphuret  in  course  of  decompo- 
sition, and  may  really  be  a  larger  deposit,  and  nearer  its 
parent  vein  than  is  generally  supposed ;  for  a  long  and 
patient  examination  of  tlie  line  of  Lower  Silurian  limestones 
on  the  north  side  of  the  Lick  Mountain  range,  shows  the 
baryta  beds,  which  pass  through  the  greater  part  of  Wythe 
and  Smyth  counties,  to  be  a  copper-bearing  series  as  well. 
Occasionally,  this  series  shows  very  handsome  bodies  of 
copper  ore ;  and  it  may  be  taken  with  almost  absolute  cer- 
tainty, that  the  Max  Meadow  copper  ores,  as  well  as  those 
showing  in  Smyth  County,  near  Mount  Airy,  result  from 
the  disintegration  of  this  series  of  rocks. 

GYPSUM. 

Hydrous  sulphate  of  lime  is  found  in  beautiful  crystals  at 
Stoner's,  on  Cripple  Creek,  near  where  the  Grayson  turnpike 
crosses.  The  amount  so  far  brought  to  the  surface  does  not 
warrant  a  conjecture  as  to  the  probable  quantity.  Future 
developments  may  show  much  more  than  is  now  suspected. 

M^iEBLE. 

The  different  varieties  of  variegated  marble  and  onyx-like 
limestone  in  the  county  are  very  great.  Handsome  varieties 
of  brown  and  red  variegated  ledges  are  found  in  hea\y 
masses  on  the  lands  of  Abraham  Umbarg^,  three  miles 
northwest  from  Wytheville,  supposed  to  be  Bird's  Eye  and 
Black  Kiver  series.  The  fossils  contained  in  them  are,  how- 
ever, very  indistinct,  rendering  it  premature  as  yet  to  declare 
the  exact  age  of  the  rocks.  From  these  quarries  stones  of 
any  size  may  be  obtained.  This  series  of  rocks  extends  for 
many  miles  through  the  county,  being  thrown  out  east,  by 
Queen's  Knob,  and  passing  westward  into  Smyth  County, 
but  not  always  presenting  the  same  beautiful  appearance. 


WYTHE  CO. — KAOLIN.  77 

In  Black  Lick  Township,  near  the  residence  of  Mr.  Davis, 
both  the  brown  and  nearly  white  varieties  are  found. 

At  Frye's  Hill,  five  miles  southwest  from  Wytheville,  the 
variety  resembling  onyx  is  found  in  masses  about  a  large 
cave,  no  doubt  derived  from  the  decomposition  of  the  soluble 
limestones  of  which  the  hill  is  composed.  Many  of  these 
blocks  are  like  alabaster  in  purity,  translucent,  and  much  of 
it  tinged  with  amber  coloring. 

This  material  is  found  at  places  northeast  and  southwest 
of  Frye's,  and  at  various  places  on  Cripple  Creek. 


BARYTES. 

Sulphate  of  baryta  is  found  near  Frye's  marble  quarry, 
not  in  very  large  quantities,  but  very  pure.  This  is  nearly 
in  the  true  lead  and  zinc  zone ;  but  on  that  side  of  Lick 
Mountain  the  series  is  barren  of  both  lead  and  zinc. 

Barytes  is  found  in  very  large  masses  on  the  north  side  of 
the  great  lead  and  zinc  deposits.  On  a  hill  near  Painter's 
Store,  Brown  Hill  P.  O.,  the  quantity  of  this  mineral  is  very 
great,  extending  along  with  tlie  lead  and  zinc  for  miles. 
Other  localities  in  the  county  require  more  development  to 
be  worthy  of  notice. 

KAOLIN. 

In  Lick  Mountain,  as  well  as  with  the  coal  measures  of 
Wythe,  there  are  large  quantities  of  kaolin.  That  accom- 
panying the  coal  veins  doesn't  vitrify  under  great  heat  as 
does  tlie  Lick  Mountain  clay. 

The  kaolin  of  Lick  Mountain  shows  to  best  advantage 
toward  tlie  head  of  Stroup's  Branch,  about  five  miles  south 
of  "Wytheville.  This  do])OHit  is  in  tlu;  Potsdam  series,  and  is 
nearly  50  yards  in  thickness,  showing  a  length  of  two  miles. 


78  WYTHE   CO. — AGRICULTURE. 

TIMBER  AND   CHARCOAL. 

Very  few  of  tlie  great  timber  boundaries,  once  so  plentiful 
on  the  south  side  of  the  county,  still  remain  intact.  The 
great  demand  for  charcoal  for  furnace  purposes  has  thinned 
out  the  timber  on  that  side  of  the  county  very  much ;  but  on 
the  north  side  and  in  the  middle  section  there  are  large 
boundaries  of  very  good  timber.  The  predominant  kinds 
are  white  oak,  chestnut  oak,  black  oak,  red  oak,  Spanish  oak, 
hickory,  poj)lar,  walnut,  sugar-majDle,  chestnut,  white  pine, 
yellow  pine,  butternut,  and  all  other  trees  and  shrubs  native 
to  the  climate.  The  most  numerous  is  the  white  oak ;  white 
pine  has  been  greatly  decimated  for  shingling ;  but  there 
remains  a  great  deal  of  chestnut  oak,  good  for  tanning  pur- 
poses. 

AGRICULTURE. 

In  Wythe  County  agriculture  has  been  carried  to  its  high- 
est perfection  only  in  the  department  of  grazing.  The  inex- 
haustible fertility  of  some  of  its  soil,  together  with  the  care 
and  economy  habitual  to  many  whose  lands  were  not  origin- 
ally so  fertile,  enables  the  county  to  make  an  exhibit  alike 
flattering  to  the  land-owners,  and  worthy  of  the  widest  pub- 
licity. 

It  would  be  an  invidious  task  to  attempt  to  mention  those 
whose  labors  have  contributed  most  to  place  the  county  in 
the  fine  position  it  is  esteemed  to  hold  among  the  best  graz- 
ing and  farming  counties  in  the  State.  The  resiilt  of  their 
efficient  labors  is  shown  in  the  fine  herds  of  the  best  im- 
proved cattle  and  flocks  of  sheep,  and  the  intelligent  use  by 
them  of  fertilizers  in  improving  their  wheat  and  corn  lands 
is  a  compliment  which  is  well  earned. 

That  the  whole  state  of  agriculture  in  the  county  is  mak- 
ing fine  progress  under  all  the  discouragements  it  has  had 


WYTHE   CO. — MANUFACTUEES.  79 

to  contend  witli,  no  impartial  observer  can  doubt.  It  is 
plain  that  the  great  improvement  in  tliis  direction,  together 
with  the  rapid  development  of  the  different  massive  bands  of 
ores,  is  fast  raising  the  county  to  a  position  among  the  fore- 
most in  point  of  wealth  and  importance.  The  cattle-men  of 
the  county  have  been  all  the  time  abreast  with  the  leading 
men  in  like  pursuits  in  others  of  the  best  grass  countries  in 
Southwestern  Virginia.  And  this  is  saying  a  great  deal,  for 
the  herds  and  herd  books  throughout  the  section  named, 
when  once  inspected,  will  show  an  advanced  interest  and  re- 
sults achieved,  that  would  astonish  both  the  English  and  those 
Americans  of  other  sections,  who  arrogate  to  themselves  the 
name  of  being  first  in  such  pursuits.  It  would  be  a  pleasant 
task  indeed  to  follow  this  subject  through  all  its  details, 
bringing  in  a  description  of  the  fine  localities  whose  high 
state  of  improvement  lends  such  interest  to  the  beautiful 
landscapes,  in  which  different  parts  of  the  county  abound ; 
but  a  regard  for  time  and  space  compels  the  abandonment  of 
a  subject  of  the  highest  interest. 

MANXIFACTURES. 

Beside  the  iron  furnaces  and  forges  and  the  lead  works,  the 
different  manufacturing  enterprises  of  the  county  are  few  in 
number,  but  seem  to  be  directed  by  men  who  are  determined 
to  win  success. 

At  Wytheville,  and  in  that  vicinity,  the  plow  works,  foimd- 
ries,  machine  shops,  wagon  and  carriage-making  establish- 
ments, and  tanneries  seem  to  be  running  to  their  utmost 
capacity,  some  of  them  even  finding  it  necessary  to  increase 
their  facilities  for  manufacturing.  Tlius,  tlio  best  grades  and 
most  improved  patterns  of  plows,  saw-mills,  cane-mills,  cast- 
ings, wagons,  buggies,  carriages,  leatlior,  harness,  and  otlier 
articles  arc  made  tlicro  and  distributed  over  a  largo  extent 
of  country. 


80  WYTHE   CO. — SCENERY,  ETC. 

At  Kent's  Mills  tlie  fine  water-power  of  Reed  Creek  is 
utilized  to  run  a  good  flouring-mill,  besides  a  first-class 
woolen  mill,  whicli  turns  out  cassimeres,  linseys,  jeans,  blank- 
ets, etc. 

At  Max  Meadows  is  a  tobacco  factory,  engaged  principally 
in  the  manufacture  of  chewing  tobacco.  At  Crockett's,  be- 
side at  Wythe ville  and  other  places  in  the  county,  plaster  is 
ground  for  use  as  a  fertilizer.  Flouring-mills,  saw-mills,  and 
ordinary  grist-mills  abound  throughout  the  county.  Per- 
haps the  greatest  power  in  the  State  unused  is  that  at  Peirce's 
Falls,  on  New  Eiver. 

SCENERY,  ETC. 

The  mountain  ranges,  divided  by  valleys,  which  are 
threaded  by  numerous  streams  of  widely  different  volume, 
flowing  awhile  through  beautiful  green  meadows,  and  then 
under  lofty  cliflfs  of  massive  limestone,  render  the  scenery 
very  attractive. 

There  can  be  nothing  more  beautiful  than  that  part  of 
New  River  near  the  lead  mines,  or  the  fine  stretch  of  river 
at  Jackson's  Ferry.  At  the  latter,  the  southern  bank  rises 
abruptly  into  a  cliflf,  which  is  crowned  by  an  old  tower 
covered  with  ivy ;  while  the  northern  bank  slopes  away 
gently  for  several  hundred  yards  to  an  eminence,  upon  which 
is  an  elegant  country  residence,  built  in  a  style  of  architec- 
ture in  perfect  keeping  with  the  noble  scenery  around  it. 

At  Wytheville,  the  north  side  of  Lick  Mountain,  in  summer 
afternoons,  while  the  slanting  rays  of  the  sun  bring  out  in 
fine  relief  the  prominent  ridges  and  deep  hollows  with  their 
marvelous  altercations  of  light  and  shade,  presents  a  picture 
of  incomparable  beauty. 

At  Max  Meadows,  the  broad  fields,  whether  decked  in  the 
fresh  colors  of  leafy  June,  or  crowned  with  the  golden  yellow 


WYTHE   CO. — AVYTHEVILLE.  81 

of  tlie  fall  season,  contribute  many  rare  views,  to  which  the 
streams  and  neighboring  mountains  lend  a  character  vivid 
and  animating  in  a  high  degree. 


SCENEEY,    MINERAL   SPRmGS,  ETC. 

There  are  many  such  views,  which  the  feeble  powershown 
in  this  volume  could  but  faintly  portray. 

The  Chimney  Bocks,  near  Wytheville,  have  been  for  many 
years  a  resort  of  the  young  people  in  search  of  the  command- 
ing views,  cool  shades,  and  the  fine  limpid  spring  near  that 
elevated  place. 

The  great  body  of  the  valleys  of  the  county  being  com- 
posed of  heavy  bands  of  limestone,  their  unequal  solubility 
has  caused  many  caves  in  the  county,  some  of  which,  if  thor- 
oughly explored,  would  rival  the  Luray  Cave  in  extent  and 
beauty  of  adornment.  The  section  of  the  county  known  as 
The  Cove,  among  many  other  localities  in  the  county,  seems 
to  have  some  of  great  beauty,  besides  being  of  easy  accessi- 
bility. 

The  mineral  springs  of  the  county  are  confined  princij)ally 
to  the  line  of  the  coal  rocks  and  the  adjacent  strata,  except 
the  fine  alum-chalybeate,  which  is  now  brought  into  Wythe- 
ville through  pipes.  The  spring  from  which  this  water  is 
derived,  like  several  others  near  it,  is  in  tlie  black  slates  of 
Pine  Eidge,  whose  position  is  near  the  St.  Peter  sandstones. 
There  are  few  except  alum-chalybeate  springs  in  the  county, 
of  a  strictly  mineral  character ;  and  these,  Avhile  of  high 
medicinal  virtue,  are  numerous. 

WYTHEVILLE. 

Wytheville,  tlio  county  seat,  wliicli,  by  the  last  census,  con- 
tains about  2,.300  inhabitants,  is  situated  near  the  center  of 
6 


82  WYTHE   CO. — ■SVYTHEYILLE. 

the  county,  on  tlie  Atlantic,  Mississippi  and  Ohio  Eailroad. 
The  high  improvement  of  its  streets,  the  air  of  neatness  and 
cleanliness,  and  its  elevation  of  2,300  feet  above  the  sea, 
combine  to  render  it  a  very  attractive  place  in  the  summer 
season. 

It  out-rivals  a  great  many  of  the  lesser  -watering-places  in 
the  nujnber  of  visitors,  in  search  of  health,  it  entertains  dur- 
ing the  summer  and  fall.  Beside  several  well-kept  hotels 
and  boarding-houses,  usually  dispensing  well-cooked  and 
wholesome  fare,  the  fine  alum  and  chalybeate  water,  now 
flowing  from  hydrants  on  the  streets,  adds  an  attractive  and 
valuable  feature. 

It  is  hardly  necessary  to  say  that  all  denominations  of 
Christians,  common  to  other  parts  of  Yirginia,  have  churches 
in  the  town  or  its  vicinity.  The  schools,  though  unpreten- 
tious, are  among  the  best  in  the  State.  Beside  well-regu- 
lated i^ublic  schools,  there  are  private  boarding-schools,  of  a 
select  order,  for  young  ladies. 

In  addition  to  flourishing  manufactories  and  machine  shops, 
for  the  making  of  anything  from  an  engine  to  a  plow  point, 
there  are  numerous  stores  which  are  supplied  with  a  more 
than  usually  select  list  of  goods.  Thus,  everything  is  found 
for  sale  in  ordinary  merchandise,  millinery,  fancy  goods,  no- 
tions, groceries,  hardware,  leather  supplies,  and  tinware. 

Though  sewing  machines,  reapers,  and  mowers,  and  the  like 
are  not  made  there,  several  companies  are  re]3resented  by 
handsome  displays.  The  carriages,  buggies,  and  wagons 
made  at  its  factories,  and  proportioned,  in  strength  of  make, 
to  the  roads  over  which  they  are  expected  to  run,  out-rival 
any  others  for  use  in  the  adjacent  country. 

The  two  newspapers.  The  Enterprise  and  Dispatch,  pub- 
lished at  the  place,  always  occupying  an  advanced  position 
in  advocacy  of  progress  and  improvement,  give  full  informa- 
tion of  the  proceedings  of  all  the  courts,  including  the  Su- 


WYTHE  CO. — LIKES  OP  TEA^sSPOETATION.  83 

preme  Court  of  Appeals  of  tlie  State,  wliicli  sits  there  an- 
nually, beginning  about  tbe  lOth  of  July. 

"Wytheville  is  liealthy,  and  the  scenery  around  it  is  of  a 
hiorh  order. 

Max  Meadows,  a  name  now  commonly  aj^plied  to  the  depot 
of  that  name  on  the  Atlantic,  Mississippi  and  Ohio  Rail- 
road, was  originally  used  to  designate  the  wide-spreading 
meadows  of  great  fertility  in  which  the  depot  was  built.  The 
place  has  several  excellent  stores,  and  a  tobacco  factory.  Max 
Meadows  is  one  of  the  great  shi23l)ing  depots  for  pig  iron, 
lead,  and  zinc. 

Eural  Eetreat,  in  the  west  of  the  county,  besides  being  a 
depot  on  the  Atlantic,  Mississippi  and  Ohio  Railroad,  is  a 
growing  place,  having  an  advanced  school,  good  stores,  shops, 
etc. 

Crockett's,  is  a  depot  on  the  Atlantic,  Mississij)pi  and  Ohio 
Railroad,  seven  miles  west  of  Wytheville,  and  is  now  the 
shipping  point  for  much  of  the  pig  metal  made  in  that  end 
of  the  county.  It  has  a  good  steam  mill  for  grinding  plaster, 
besides  other  improvements,  stores,  etc. 

There  are  quite  a  number  of  other  noted  jDlaces  in  the 
county,  but  their  description  is  now  impracticable  for  want 
of  space. 

LINES  OF  TRANSrOHTATION. 

The  Atlantic,  Mississippi  and  Ohio  Railroad,  running 
through  from  Norfolk,  west  and  southwest,  to  all  points  south 
and  west,  passes  through  the  heart  of  the  county.  This 
great  line  is  of  ample  carrying  capacity,  being  of  fivo-f(M^t 
gauge,  and,  once  out  of  its  financial  end)arrassin(nits,  may  do 
mu(ni  more  than  formerly  to  develop  the  material  resources 
of  the  section  through  wliich  it  runs. 

There  are  proposed  linos  of  transportation,  organized  for 
the  purpose  of  develojiing  the  great  ore  belts ;    pi'oniinout 


84:         WYTHE  CO. QUOTATION  FROM  HOWABD   SHEIVER,  A.M. 

among  wliicli  are  the  soutliern  extension  of  tlie  New  E-iver 
Bailroad,  tlie  Yirginia  and  Statesville  Railroad,  and  the  road 
of  the  Lobdell  Car  Wheel  Company. 

FISH   CULTUEE. 

Since  the  adoption  by  the  Fish  Commissioner  of  a  site  near 
Wytheville  for  a  hatchery,  fish  culture  is  assuming  some  im- 
portance. At  a  fine  large  spring,  of  proj^er  temperature,  near 
the  Atlantic,  Mississippi  and  Ohio  Railroad,  three  and  a  half 
miles  west  of  Wytheville,  all  the  necessary  buildings  for  this 
interesting  business  were  completed  in  1879,  and  the  young 
fish  of  many  improved  varieties  have  been  shipped  to  various 
streams  in  this  and  other  parts  of  the  State.  The  whole 
matter  has  been  a  success,  under  the  intelligent  management 
of  Professor  McDonald,  and  now  that  tlie  hatchery  is  in  suc- 
cessful operation,  only  a  short  time  must  elapse  before  all 
the  streams  of  the  county  and  the  section  will  be  stocked 
with  varieties  suitable  to  them. 

PRODUCTION    of     CATTLE,    SHEEP,   WHEAT,   PIG   METAL,   LEAD,   AITO 

ZINC   ORE. 

Fat  cattle,  annually  shipped 1,800. 

Stock  cattle      "  "      2,G00. 

Sheep,  "  "      5,000. 

Wheat,  "  "      180,000  bushels. 

Pig  metal  (chiefly  for  car-wheels)  8,000  tons  of  late,  which  will  be  increased  hereafter. . 

Lead  from  Wythe  Lead  and  Zinc  Mines.     1,000  tons  annually. 

Zinc  ore         "         "  "  "         50,000  tons  have  been  mined  up  to  date. 

Zinc  ore  from  the  Bertha  Mine 2,100  tons  to  date. 

QUOTATION  FROM  HOWARD  SHRIVER,  A.M.,  OF  WYTHEVILLE,  ON  THE 
FLORA  AND  CLIMATE  OF  WYTHE  COUNTY. 

"  Owing  to  the  altitude  of  Southwest  Virginia,  averaging 
half  a  mile  above  sea  level,  the  climate  resembles  that  of  the 
Middle  States,    many  of  our  plants  belonging  to  Pennsyl- 


WYTHE   CO. — QUOTATION  FKOM  HOW.VED   SHIIIVER,  A.M.        85 

Tania  and  New  York.  Whereas,  in  tlie  same  latitude,  east  of 
us,  near  the  seashore,  the  fig  ripens  its  two  crops,  and  plants 
common  to  North  Carolina  are  found. 

"  Hence,  it  is  less  necessary  to  enumerate  the  prevailing 
plants,  and  we  shall  confine  our  list  to  a  few  that  may  be  re- 
garded characteristic  of  the  Flora.  Among  the  first  and 
most  attractive,  is  the  splendid  Khododendron  Catawbi- 
ense,  Michena,  which  abound  on  the  hillsides  and  often  ex- 
tend to  their  summits,  being  sometimes  intermixed  with  R. 
maximum  L.  and  Kalmia  Latifolia — common  farther  north. 

"  Along  the  streams  are  Clethra  Acuminata  and  Alnifolia, 
Andromeda  Floribunda  Purch.  and  Magnolia  Fraseri,  Walt., 
Umbrella  Lam.  and  Acuminata  L.  The  mountain  roads 
are  lined  in  the  early  spring  with  the  fragrant  white  flowers 
of  Leucothse  Recurra  Buck. 

"  Among  a  large  number  of  Yaccinia  are  found  Y.  Ery- 
throcarpon  Michx.  and  Macrocarpon.  Of  the  Azaleas,  there 
are  A.  arborescens,  Purch.,  Yiscosa  L.,  Nudiflora  L.,  and  the 
most  splendid  Calendarlacea,  Michx.  in  every  conceivable 
variety  of  coloring.  Galax  Aphyllea  beautifies  the  woods  in 
winter,  with  Chimaphila  and  several  Pyrolas.  In  summer 
the  Monotropa,  and  sweet-scented  Schweinitzia  Odorata,  Ell. 
Ilea  is  well  represented,  including  I.  Monticola,  Gray.,  Hale- 
sia  Tetraptera  is  found  in  the  water-courses.  The  LabiatoB 
are  well  represented,  including  the  somewhat  rare  Cedronella 
Cardata,  Benth.,  Scutellaria  Yersicolor,  Pclosa,  Servosa,  etc. 
Stachys  Cordata,  Ridd.  Ararum  Canadense,  L.,  Yirginicum 
L.,  and  Arifolium  Michx.  are  common  with  Aristolochia  Sipho, 
L'Hcr.  and  Scrpentana,  L.  Pyrularia  Oleifera,  Gray.,  Eu- 
phorbijc  of  various  species,  including  Commulata,  Eng.,  Unu- 
laria  Grandiflora,  and  Lossifolia,  Ij.  are  common,  as  also 
Prosartes  Lanuginosa,  Don.  and  Clintoria  Borcalis,  Raf.,  Um- 
bellata  Torr.,  Convellata  IMujulis  prevails  on  tlio  mountains, 
even    to   their  summits.     Of  the  Carices,    some  twenty-fivo 


86        WYTHE   CO. — QUOTATION  FROM   HOWAED   SHRIVER,  A.M. 

or  tliirty  are   common,   wliile  Carea  Fraseriana,  Linn's   is 
rare. 

"  Tlie  ferns  are  quite  numerous,  and,  at  times,  grow  in 
great  luxuriance.  The  whole  ground  is  often  covered  with  a 
dense  growth  of  Cystopteris  Bulbifera,  Bernh.,  the  fronds 
from  a  foot  to  a  foot  and  a  half  in  height.  In  the  same 
abundance  are  found  Aspidium  Goldianum,  Hook,  and  Clin- 
tonianum  ;  while  the  open  woods  are  carpeted  with  A.  Peda- 
tum  Phegopteris,  and  A.  Marginale,  Sw.,  and  Acrostichoide, 
Sw.,  with  occasionally  Adiantum  Capillus  Veneris.  The  rock 
crevices  exhibit  Asplenium  Montanum,  Willd.,  A.  Euta  Mura- 
ria  L.,  Cheilanthes  Vertita,  Sw.,  Perlaca  Atropurpurea,  Link., 
and  Polypodium  Yulgaro  and  Incarium,  Sw.,  A.  Tricomanes 
L.,  Camptosorus  Rhozophyllus,  Link.  In  all  some  thirty 
species."  ' 


WTTHE  CO. — RAIN-FALL  AND  TEMPERATURE. 


87 


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WYTHE  CO. — MAXIMA  AND   MINIMA  OF  THERMOMETER. 


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WYTHE  CO. — FURNACES  AND  FORGES  IN  WYTHE  CO. 


89 


RANGE    OF   BAROMETER. 

Reduced  to  33°  F.  and  corrected  for  Capillarity,  Temperature,  and  Varia- 
tion in  level  of  mercury  in  cistern.  Instrument  (No.  1560  by  J.  Green,  N.  Y.  : 
except  from  Nov.  1,  '65  to  Apl.  1,  '69;  and  Sept.  1,  '69,  to  Sept.  1,  '73,  during 
which  time  an  ordinary  instrument  was  used).  Observations  previous  to  Nov. 
1,  1876.  are  reduced  by  the  constant — .145  to  correspond  to  current  observations 
at  present  station.  Add  37.  to  the  thousandths  in  Table. 

BY  HOWARD  SHRIVER,    A.M.,  WYTHEVILLE,    WYTHE  CO.,    VA. 


Jan. 


1865 

1866 649 

1870 631 

1873 597 

1869 537 

1870 631 

1871 711 

1873 548 

1874 664 

1875 536 

1876 687 

1877 631 

1878 540 

1879 579 


Feb. 

1 

Mch. 

April 

May 

June 

July 

Aug. 

Sept. 

Oct. 

Nov. 

Dec. 

569 

588 

649 

931 

579 

513 

597 

648 

473 

530 

574 

571 

608 

659 

654 

697 

686 

635 

591 

518 

5:j3 

641 

631 

639 

666 

669 

646 

634 

597 

633 

490 

567 

570 

470 

634 

647 

694 

749 

591 

583 

675 

473 

530 

574 

571 

608 

659 

654 

697 

686 

635 

691 

604 

580 

539 

604 

604 

638 

630 

717 

736 

596 

646 

504 

55S 

478 

545 

619 

693 

666 

676 

638 

513 

671 

620 

568 

553 

573 

637 

665 

633 

678 

680 

693 

676 

568 

553 

514 

569 

645 

645 

615 

653 

603 

590 

536 

618 

533 

573 

636 

605 

685 

675 

576 

575 

643 

536 

610 

504 

495 

500 

610 

630 

600 

639 

634 

600 

688 

459 

531 

403 

541 

568 

637 

570 

700 

633 

546 

518 

547 

600 

503 

634 

616 

633 

598 

697 

743 

678 

635 

Avg. 


608 
618 
600 
617 
633 
591 
635 
584 
609 
593 
553 
630 


MONTHLY  AVERAGES. 
Jan.  Feb.  March  April  May  June  July  Aug.  Sept.  Oct.  Nov.  Dec.  Avg. 
613    549      548      541    559    014    654    643    675    641   600    619    004 


FURNACES   AND    FORGES    IN   WYTHE    COUNTY,    VIRGINIA — ^ALL  COLD- 
BLAST   CHiVRCOAL. 

Cedar  Ruu  Furnace,  Graliam  &  Hobinson,  near  Graham's 
Forge  (Graham's  ohl  furnace),  built  l)y  David  Graham. 
One  stack  32x9.     1832.     W'ator  power.     Capacity  0  tons. 

Barren  Springs  Furnace,  J.  Williamson  M'Gavock,  near  Car- 
ter's Ferry,  New  Eiver  (Graham's  now  furnace),  built 
by  David  Graham  in  1853  and  rebuilt  by  Graham  & 
Kobinson,  1873.  One  stack  35x8,  cold  l)last.  Capacity 
5  tons. 

Eagle  Furnace,  or  Gray  Eagle  Furnace,  built  in  bSfi.'J  by 
Buford,  tStuart  &  Co.,  now  owned  by  Graham  it  liobiu- 


90     WYTHE  CO. — FURNACES  AND  FORGES  IN  WYTHE  CO. 

son.  One  stack  33x9.  Cold  blast,  water  power.  Capac- 
ity 5  tons. 

Brown  Hill  Furnace,  built  by  Abraham  Painter  &  Sons,  1870, 
now  owned  by  the  Lobdell  Car  "Wheel  Company,  Wil- 
mington, Delaware.  One  stack  32x9.  Cold  blast,  steam 
power.     Capacity  8  tons. 

"Walton  Furnace,  built  by  Howard  &  Saunders,  1872,  now 
owned  by  Lobdell  Car  Wheel  Company,  Wilmington, 
Delaware.     One  stack  33x9.     Capacity  8  tons. 

Eavenscliife  Furnace,  Crockett  <fe  Co.,  one  old  stack  29x9, 
built  in  1810,  rebuilt  1876,  and  a  new  stack  33x9.  Water 
power.     Capacity  14  tons. 

Speedwell  Furnace,  D.  E.  James  &  Son,  built  1873.  One 
stack  32x9.     Water  power.     Capacity  6  tons. 

Wythe  Furnace,  Sayers,  Oglesby  &  Co.,  built  in  1873.  One 
stack  33x9.     Steam  power.     Capacity  5  tons. 

Irondale  Furnace,  Noble,  Allen  &  Co.,  built  1880-81.  P.  O., 
Crockett's  Depot.     Capacity  10  tons. 

Beverly  Furnace,  Crockett  &  Co.,  built  in  1880.  Water 
power.    P.  O.,  Crockett's  Depot,  36x10.    Capacity  12  tons. 

Furnace  of  the  New  Eiver  Iron  Co.,  at  Pierce's  Falls,  New 
Eiver,  built  in  1881.  P.  O.,  Jackson's  Ferry,  34x10. 
Capacity  12  tons. 

Furnace  of  the   Hendricks'  Bros.,  of  New  York,  1881.    New 

Biver  Mineral  Co.,  now  building  at  mouth  of  Painters' 

Branch,  New  River,  two  miles  above  Wythe  Lead  Mines. 

One  stack  10|x40.     Capacity  20  tons.     P.  O.,  Brown  Hill. 

Forges. — Of  the  numerous  forges  once    existing  only  one 

remains,  Graham's  Forge  Boiling  Mills  and  Nail  Works,  built 

by  David  Graham,  on  Beed  Creek,  1828.  Three  heating  fur- 
naces,  four   trains   of  rolls,    five    nail    machines,    and   one 

hammer. 


SMYTH  COUNTY.  91 


SMYTH  COUNTY. 

Smyth  County,  for  the  princely  resources  it  contains,  has 
been  more  neglected  comparatively,  hitherto,  in  all  reports 
having  the  sanction  of  authority,  than  any  other  county  in 
the  State.  The  great  Valley  of  Virginia,  as  widely  renowned 
as  it  is  for  the  beauty  and  fertility  of  its  soil,  and  its  match- 
less wealth  in  ores,  would  be  incomplete  indeed  without  the 
county  of  Smyth.  The  citizens  of  the  southwestern  end  of 
the  valley,  being  very  generally  acquainted  with  the  charac- 
ter of  what  may  strictly  be  termed  the  Shenandoah  end  of 
the  valley,  live  also  in  the  knowledge  of  the  extraordinary 
resources  in  Salt  and  Plaster,  Lead  and  Zinc,  and  great  masses 
of  Magnetic  and  Brown  Iron  Ores,  which  add  such  an  addi- 
tional interest  to  their  own  end.  Could  there  be  that  capable 
and  trustworthy  management  of  public  property  that  there  is 
ordinarily  of  property  in  private  hands,  what  a  source  of 
revenue  would  tliere  be  to  the  county,  as  an  owner,  or  the 
State,  of  the  vast  salt  interests  at  Saltville,  and  the  great 
plaster  beds  there  and  above,  on  the  Holston  River  and  tribu- 
taries. How  many  of  the  burdens  would  be  thus  removed 
from  the  people  of  a  county,  with  a  revenue  coming  into  its 
treasury,  annually,  equal  to  its  receipts  from  taxation.  Such 
a  revenue  would  not  only  do  away  with  the  taxation,  but  a 
great  part  of  it  would  be  spent  among  the  people  for  the  build- 
ing of  many  needed  improvements.  Though  it  is  now  too  late 
to  think  of  sueli  a  possibility  for  the  salt  works,  could  the 
great  plaster  beds  even,  on  Cove  Creek,  become  the  property 
of  the  county,  and  be  leased  out  to  competent  ;iii(l  lioiicst  men 
to  be  mined  for  its  benefit,  cheap  railway  tran.s})ortati()ii  b(>- 
ing  understood,  what  a  source  of  revenue  would  tlius  be 
opened. 

If  this  railway  transportation  would  open  up  Kentucky  and 


92  SMYTH   COUNTY. 

its  connecting  lines  of  railway,  it  would  be  difficult  to  esti- 
mate tlie  vast  quantity  of  this  cheap  and  abundant  fertilizer 
which  would  be  annually  consumed.  But,  pleasant  as  it 
might  be  for  the  county  to  have  an  independent  source  of 
revenue  that  would  free  it  from  the  necessity  of  taxing  its 
people,  would  it  not  be  an  impracticable  thing,  because  of 
the  impossibility  of  employing  agents  to  handle  the  property 
who  would,  with  single-hearted  fidelity,  conduct  the  manage- 
ment as  judiciously  as  they  would  in  the  position  of  private 
owners  ?  Could  the  county,  under  the  law,  become  an  owner, 
the  results  of  the  venture  might  be  anticipated  as  of  rather 
doubtful  success,  unless  the  properties  could  be  handled  with 
address  and  fidelity. 

However  this  may  be,  Smyth  County,  not  merely  because 
of  the  existence  of  these  remarkable  deposits  of  plaster  and 
salt,  is  great.  There  are  vast  deposits  of  iron  and  manganese 
of  superior  character  ;  and  these  magnificent  veins  and  de- 
posits lie  sometimes  within,  and  generally  but  a  mile  or  so 
from  grass  and  grain  lands  unsurpassed  in  fertility. 

Could  the  resources  of  Smyth  County  be  utilized,  so  really 
abundant  are  they  that  it  is  not  too  much  to  say  the  finances 
of  the  State  itself  would  feel  the  beneficial  effects  of  such 
development  in  a  marked  degree. 

This  is  another  one  of  those  counties  to  which  it  will  be 
impossible  to  do  justice  in  anything  short  of  a  volume.  A 
full  description  of  the  Plaster  and  Salt  deposits  alone  would 
require  much  space  ;  but  in  the  section  allotted  to  the 
county,  enough,  it  is  hoped,  may  be  said  to  draw  attention  to 
its  highly  valuable  resources ;  and  that,  too,  if  the  design 
should  be  successful,  in  a  manner  which  will  show  their 
bearing  upon  the  general  prosperity  of  the  country. 


SMYTH   CO- — GEOLOGICAIi.  93 


HOW  BOUNDED. 


Smytli  is  separated  from  Tazewell,  on  the  north,  by  the 
Clinch  range  of  mountains ;  on  the  south,  from  Grayson, 
by  the  Iron  Mountain,  the  southwest  corner  being  on  the 
great  White  Top  ;  on  the  east  side  it  is  bounded  by  Wythe, 


and  west  bv  Washinf^ton. 


HOW  WATERED. 

The  county  is  watered  almost  wholly  by  the  different 
branches  of  Holston  River,  two  of  which — the  Middle  and 
South  Forks — take  their  source  in  the  county ;  but  in  the 
head  of  Rye  Valley  are  some  of  the  head-waters  of  Cripple 
Creek,  which  creek  flows  eastwardly  to  New  River,  while  the 
Holston  waters  flow  southwestwardly  toward  Tennessee. 

GEOLOGICAL. 

The  geology  of  Smytli  is  comprised  between  the  Upper 
Huronian  Rocks,  showing  in  White  Top  Mountain,  and  the 
Proto-Carboniferous,  showing  in  Brushy  Mountain  ;  in  one 
place  there  being  an  exception — at  Saltville,  where  there  are 
evidences  of  the  Cenozoic,  or  Mammalian  Age. 

With  the  exception  of  the  Salt  and  Plaster,  there  is  no 
marked  difference  between  this  county  and  other  counties 
of  the  Great  Valley,  either  in  its  geology  or  mineralogy.  The 
cross  section,  here  given,  will  show  the  geology  of  the  Valley 
of  Virginia  somewhat  differently  disposed  from  what  it  is  at 
other  points  east,  but  not  essentially  different  in  cluiracter. 
A  descriptif)n  of  the  geological  section  hero  given  is  scarcely 
necessary,  as  it  explains  itscdf  with  sufficient  clearness  for 
general  purposes.  The  county,  really,  would  require  a  num- 
ber of  cross-sections  to  sliow  tli(i  dip  of  the  rocks  in  each 
district ;    but  the  section  given  will  show  the  gcmoral  order 


94  SMYTH   CO. — IRON  ORES. 

and  position  of  the  various  strata,  faults,  etc.  It  may  be 
proper,  however,  to  call  attention  to  the  series  of  mountains 
near  the  middle  and  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  county  :  three 
high  ridges,  running  side  by  side,  a  course  north  70°  east, 
dying  down  near  Marion,  at  the  west  end,  and  breaking  off  at 
the  eastern  end  near  the  county  line,  forming  a  great  island 
of  Potsdam  sandstone,  iron  ore,  and  red  shale,  surrounded 
by  the  valley  limestones.  Likewise  Big  Walker's  Mountain, 
which  is  such  a  vast  barrier  in  the  eastern  end  of  the  county, 
as  it  a]3proaches  Saltville  becomes  a  mere  hill,  and  after  that, 
going  southwest,  has  no  longer  the  same  character.  The 
other  mountain  ranges  are  continuous,  except  White  Top, 
which  is  a  massive  and  towering  outburst  of  granite  rock 
material,  standing  almost  isolated. 

IRON   ORES. 

It  would  seem  as  though  we  were  to  have  a  redundancy  of 
the  subject  of  iron  ores  in  this  work.  In  each  county  it  has 
been  a  prominent  feature !  In  Smyth  the  measure  will  be 
found  full  and  running  over,  and  the  only  regret  will  be  that 
of  the  writer  at  his  inability  to  present  the  subject  as  it  de- 
serves. 

Beginning  on  the  south  boundary  of  the  county  and  going 
northwardly,  the  first  great  extensive  line  of  iron  ore  deposits 
are  the  brown  ores  at  the  base  of  the  Calciferous  and  the  up- 
per part  of  the  Potsdam  sub-epochs  in  the  spurs  and  parallel 
ridges  of  the  north  side  of  Iron  Mountain.  These  ores  com- 
bined with  manganese  ores  form  heavy  beds  and  deposits  in 
this  range,  apparently  more  profuse  as  to  surface  indications 
toward  the  eastern  than  the  western  end.  That  the  mas- 
sive parent  veins  from  which  these  decomposed  ores  are  de- 
rived are  some  of  them  over  50  feet  thick,  I  have  no  doubt. 
Pearce's  Forge,  near  by,  on  the  South  Fork  of  Holston  River, 


SMITH  CO. — lEON  OKES. 


95 


Bich  iltn. 


Clinch  Mtn. 


I 


\1 


/Plaster  >Mai-Ule  " 

/   /  ml 

I  §  '.■^  '\  Wal^-ers  Mtn.     o 
//A'/ 


'•hy  Mtn 


•^Jfcfi-f '^'-  ^L-lhFork  of 
y^ZW     ^^%h'       \HolstonR. 


,^W^_ 


C^.inck  Mtn 


■^^'^■'^  xV^V'**  fi"'^''^'''  '^  ^"it 

>y>Tv-fe?V h- 


•Bij  Walkers  Mtn 


.  ►* 


^_\p 


-g 


♦    l^yilirUiIU-'jiljgvoXidq  Wal 


m(//r  Tnp 
Mountain 


Water 


96  SMYTH   CO. — IRON   ORES. 

derives  some  of  its  ores  from  eitlier  tlie  parent  or  deriva- 
tive beds  of  tliis  line  of  ores.  Mucli  of  this  ore  is  no  doubt 
the  result  of  the  decomposition  of  the  heavy  measures  of  sul- 
phides of  iron,  lead  and  zinc,  which  once  extended  in  masses 
up  and  down  this  valley,  in  a  prolongation  southwest  of  simi- 
lar great  deposits  in  Wythe  ;  and  although  developments  there 
are  still  in  the  very  earliest  stages  of  the  initiative,  enough  may 
be  seen,  by  a  careful  search,  to  prove  that  there  must  still  re- 
main somewhat  of  this  same  formation,  here  and  there,  suf- 
ficient to  warrant  the  belief  of  paying  quantities  of  zinc  still 
remaining,  particularly  toward  the  middle  and  east  end  of 
Eye  Valley. 

Then,  crossing  over  to  the  north  side  of  the  South  Fork  of 
Holston,  along  the  strike  of  the  northern  out-crop  of  the  great 
synclinal — of  which  the  river  and  Eye  Yalley  are  the  marks  of 
the  greater  depression — Ave  see  another  long  line  of  beds  of 
brown  iron  ore,  parallel  generally  with  the  course  of  the  river 
and  valley,  and  showing  in  many  places  profusely  from  the 
Smyth-Wythe  line  to  Thomas's  on  the  Marion-Grayson  turn- 
pike. These  ores  are  likewise  here  and  there  mixed  with 
manganese,  but  often  a  pure  brown  hematite,  so-called,  of  a 
high  degree  of  purity  and  excellence,  and  in  quantities  cor- 
responding to  the  vast  parent  veins  from  which  the  ore  was 
derived.  These  ores  are  frequently  pocketed  in  the  lime- 
stone, and  when  so  found  are  regarded  as  the  purer  ores. 

Next  of  importance  are  the  almost  inconceivably  vast  beds 
and  deposits  in  the  series  of  mountains  running  from  the 
immediate  neighborhood  of  Marion,  eastwardly,  to  the  Smyth- 
Wythe  line,  in  which  the  Glade  Mountain,  with  its  extensive 
veins,  bears  so  important  a  part.  Up  Staley's  Mill  Creek, 
Nick's  Creek,  heads  of  Aker's  Creek,  Phillippi's  and  Steffee's 
branches,  in  Glade  Mountain ;  in  the  White  Eock  Mountain 
and  the  space  between  it  and  the  flanking  ridge  on  the  south, 
and  in  that  district,  where  these  mountains  die  down  under 


SMYTH  CO. — lEON   OEES.  97 

tlie  limestones  just  south  of  Marion,  the  deposits  and  veins 
of  iron  ore,  from  very  careful  and  repeated  observations,  are 
judged  to  be  among  the  first  in  the  world  in  size,  in  facility 
of  mining,  and  easy  accessibility.  This  is  saying  no  more 
than  the  facts  warrant ;  and  although  it  will  be  impossible  to 
give,  in  this  space,  the  exact  measures  of  all  the  beds — those 
fine  ones  nearer  Marion,  and  those  nearer  the  White  Rock 
Furnace  (formerly  the  Panic  Furnace)  the  measures  of  just 
a  moiety  it  is  hoped  will  be  convincing.  Taking  from  the 
field  notes  we  have  :  "Head  of  Steffee's  Branch,"  a  hea-vy  body 
of  iron  ore  following  the  strike  of  the  rocks  a  great  distance, 
130  feet  across  the  vein  which  runs  north  75°  east  about,  on 
the  same  lead  which  gives  the  fine  specular  ore,  chalcedony, 
etc. ;  barometer  3,200  above  sea  level ;  dip  of  rocks  south  W 
east ;  stratification  as  follows  :  Beginning  south  a  heavy  band 
of  sandstone,  then  specular  ore  eight  inches,  then  thin  bed 
of  sand-rock,  then  (manganiferous  iron  ore  perhaps  a  third 
of  the  vein,  followed  by  j)ure  brown  iron  ore)  the  130  feet  of 
ore.  Then  at  about  700  yards  north,  down  the  mountain 
(north  15'  west)  passed  another  iron  ore  lead  (parallel  to  the 
first)  24  feet  thick  at  tlie  division  between  the  Scolithus- 
marked  sandstone  and  the  red  shales,  etc.,  of  the  Lower  Cal- 
ciferous ;  then  at  500  yards  more  on  the  cross  section  (course 
north  15°  west),  struck  10  feet  of  kidney  ore  overlying  a  hea^y 
ledge  of  sandstone,  dip  20°,  south  15°  east,  barometer  2,760 
above  sea  level,  which  point  was  250  feet  above  the  Atlantic, 
Mississippi  and  Ohio  Railroad,  two  miles  farther  north. 

Then,  again,  in  the  examination  up  Nick's  Creek,  the  largest 
bed  of  good  ore,  situated  at  the  western  end  of  White  Rock 
Mountain,  whore  Nick's  Creek  cuts  the  mountain  ofT,  from  the 
surface  indications,  is  judged  to  be  300  foot  thick,  dipping 
southwardly.  Tliis  vein  or  deposit,  like  the  others  just  incii- 
tioned,  is  continuous  for  miles  through  the  country — for  ion 
miles,  if  not  more — in  easily  accessible  ground.     Of  good  (n-o 


98  SMYTH   CO. — IRON  OEES. 

in  tliese  yeins,  which  might  be  mined  or  stripped  above  or- 
dinary water  level  in  the  creeks,  there  are  not  less  than 
25,000,000  tons.  Some  experts,  accustomed  to  the  examina- 
tion of  ore  dejDosits,  give  the  beds  nearer  Marion  alone  credit 
for  more  than  that  amount.  The  curious  and  critical  may 
take  the  elevations  as  given  by  the  barometer  above,  and 
only  one  half  the  recorded  thicknesses  of  deposits  by  a  length 
of  ten  miles,  and  readily  see  whether  the  quantity  is  an  exag- 
geration or  not. 

Again,  as  you  approach  the  Atlantic,  Mississippi  and  Ohio 
Railroad  in  the  middle  of  the  county,  on  either  side  of  the 
valley  of  the  Middle  Fork  of  Holstou  Eiver,  there  are  de- 
posits of  brown  ores  which  have  evidently  resulted  from  the 
decomposition  of  the  ore  beds  at  higher  levels,  and  subse- 
quent precipitation  in  the  cavities  of  the  limestones  below. 

Then  going  northwardly  over  some  lines  of  lesser  veins  in 
the  flanks  of  Little  Walker's  Mountain,  the  next  notable  de- 
posits of  brown  iron  ores  are  along  the  outcroppings  of  the 
Oriskany  measures  in  the  south  flank  of  Big  Walker's  Moun- 
tain. This  line  of  ores,  showing  generally  not  far  above  the 
base  of  the  mountain  on  the  southern  side,  lies  in  a  line  fully 
twenty  miles  long,  coursing  north  60°  or  70^  east.  These 
deposits  are  similar  to  other  Oriskany  deposits  described  in 
different  parts  of  this  book.  Now  and  then  the  lead  shows 
but  little  ore,  and  again  the  surface  is  covered  with  an  excel- 
lent brown  ore  Avhich  has  not  yet  been  found  to  yield  on 
analysis  over  three  tenths  of  one  per  cent,  of  phosphorus. 

Then,  again,  at  Ward's,  near  Chatham  Hill,  are  brown  ores 
formed  from  decomposed  pyrites  in  respectable  masses,  but 
no  doubt  belonging  to  the  division  between  the  Black  Kiver 
and  Trenton  series. 

These  same  conditions,  as  to  Oriskany  ores,  are  repeated 
again  in  Smyth  County,  in  the  south  flank  of  Clinch  Moun- 
tain, and  in  Poor  Valley  Ridge. 


SMYTH   CO. — RED   lEON   ORES.  99 

In  trutli,  tlie  brown  iron  ores  of  Smyth,  above  water  level, 
are  not  far  from  100,000,000  of  tons. 


Red  Iron  Ore. 

Beginning  at  the  southern  boundary  line,  and  going  from 
south  to  north  over  the  various  strata,  not  much  pure  red 
iron  ore  is  met  with,  until  you  reach  the  extraordinary  vein 
in  Glade  Mountain,  mentioned  above.  This  ore — a  pure 
specular,  crystalline  in  structure,  very  dense  and  free  from 
impurities — is  only,  so  far  as  developed,  about  eight  inches 
thick,  wdth  an  evident  tendency  to  thicken  eastwardly  and  to 
thin  out  in  the  opposite  direction.  It  is  singular  that,  at  the 
head  of  Steffee's  Branch,  a  vein  of  this  nature  should  occur 
in  a  regular  and  well-defined  system  of  rocks,  and  be  confined 
to  only  a  few  hundred  feet  either  way. 

The  next  notable  line  of  red  ores  met  with,  going  north- 
wardly, are  those  occupying  the  line  of  felspars  at  the  junc- 
tion of  the  Black  River  and  Trenton  limestones.  This  remark- 
able band  of  ore,-  which  has  such  a  large  development  in 
Giles  County,  about  Chapman's,  shows  best  in  Smyth  at  Til- 
son's,  east  end  of  the  county,  in  Eich  Valley.  The  ore  is  of 
the  finest  quality,  and  is  apparently  rot  less  than  six  feet  thick 
with  the  rocks  dipping  southwardly.  In  nearly  every  hill,  as 
you  go  down  the  valley,  this  remarkable  ore  shows  itself 
with  the  felspar  overlying  it.  It  will  prove  of  very  great  im- 
portance to  the  iron  interests  of  that  section,  as  it  is  not  only 
a  remarkably  j^ure  ore,  but  in  great  quantity  in  the  aggre- 
gate. 

After  this  no  very  considerable  masses  of  red  ores  are 
again  mot  with  until  you  reach  liig  AValker's  Mountain, 
where  the  fossil  red  ores  show,  some  distance  below  the 
crest  of  the  mountain,  on  the  south  side.  In  addition  to  the 
strictly  fossil  ore  there  is  a  red  hematite  in  the  same  scries 


100  SMYTH  CO. — COPPER. 

of  rocks,  slaty  in  structure,  and  apj)arently  a  valuable  ore, 
being  in  quantity  now  and  then.  The  fossil  ore,  which  dips 
southwardly  between  ledges  of  red  sandstone,  rarely  ever  ex- 
ceeds eighteen  inches  in  thickness.  There  is  also  a  short 
line  of  these  ores  in  the  south  face  of  Clinch  Mountain,  and 
again  in  Poor  Valley  Eidge. 

3Iagnetic  Iron  Ore. 

There  is  a  line  of  magnetic  ores  leading  from  near  Marion 
southwestwardly  toward  the  Smyth-Washington  line  near  a 
point  where  the  South  Fork  of  Holston  Eiver  leaves  the 
county.  These  ores  show  in  fragments  on  the  surface,  but 
sufficient  developments  have  not  yet  been  made  to  prove 
quantities.  The  measures  seem  to  be  confined  to  the  Lower 
Silurian  limestones. 

Iron  Pyrites. 

Iron  pyrites  is,  perhaps,  the  original  material  of  all  the 
iron  ore  deposits  of  the  county  except  the  specular  and  fossil 
ores.  On  the  South  Fork  of  Holston  Eiver,  in  Eye  Valley, 
Glade  Mountain,  etc.,  and  in  Eich  Valley,  iron  jiyrites  must 
be  abundant  below  water  level.  Cubical  pyrites  are  largely 
disseminated  in  the  slates,  etc.,  of  the  Proto-Carboniferous 
series,  just  north  of  the  fault  in  which  the  plaster  and  salt  are 
found,  as  well  as  in  larger  masses  in  the  lower  limestones 
south  of  the  same  fault. 

COPPER. 

Carbonate  of  copper  is  distinguishable  in  the  line  of  rocks 
in  which  the  barytes  occur,  just  south  of  the  Atlantic,  Mis- 
sissippi and  Ohio  Eailroad,  four  miles  east  of  Marion.  Cop- 
per pyrites  are,  no  doubt,  in  the  same  series.  In  fact,  fol- 
lowing  the    same  series  eastwardly  nearly   to   the   Smyth- 


SSTTTH   CO. — S.\LT  AND   GYPSUM,  OE  TLVSTEE.  101 

"Wythe  line,  copper  carbonate  and.  sulphide  are  so  abundant 
as  to  create  the  imj)ression  of  large  quantities  below  the  sur- 
face. Copper  p3'rites  ought  also  to  be  found  in  the  line  of 
rocks  in  Rye  Valle}'  and  south  fork  of  Holston  Eiver,  which 
represent  the  lead  and  zinc-bearing  formation. 

Again,  in  the  Hamilton  slates,  in  Lick  Creek  Gap,  in  the 
northern  portion  of  the  county,  and  at  points  in  the  same 
strata  in  Poor  Talley,  indications  have,  now  and  then,  been 
found  to  lead  to  the  belief  that  sufficient  quantities  existed 
to  pay  for  mining,  but  this  is  doubtful. 

LE.VD  AM)  ZINC. 

It  is  unfortunate  that  the  Lead  and  Zinc  indications  show- 
ing at  some  points  near  Sugar  Grove,  in  the  South  Fork  Yal- 
ley,  should  not  have  been  prosj)ected  to  such  an  extent  as  to 
permit  measures  to  be  taken.  Without  more  evidence,  the 
presumption  is  that  there  is  here  a  continuation  southwest- 
wardly  of  the  heavy  lead  and  zinc-bearing  strata  showing  so 
conspicuously  in  Wythe  County,  the  general  geological  for- 
mation being  identical.  Lead  has  been  occasionally  found 
in  Piich  Valley,  near  the  line  of  the  division  between  the  Cal- 
ciferous  and  Trenton  rocks.  Again  in  the  south  of  Big 
Walker's  Mountain,  in  the  Corniferous  flint  on  Bear  Creek, 
and  in  the  Lower  Helderberg  gi'oup.  The  same  may  be  said 
of  the  like  formations  in  the  south  flank  of  Clinch  Moun- 
tain. These  latter  ores  have  often  been  claimed  to  be  silver- 
bearing  galenites,  but  Dr.  Genth's  analysis  failed  to  find  the 
silver. 

SALT  AND   GYPSUM,  OH  I'LASTElt. 

In  treating  this  highly  valuable  and  important  subjoct,  it 
will  not  be  inferred  that  the  author  regards  his  statements 
concerning  either  the  geology  or  other  imjwrtant  features 


102  SMYTH   CO. — SALT  AND   GYPSUM,  OE  PLASTER. 

of  tlie  formation  infallible ;  but  believes,  from  tlie  fact  that 
bis  examinations  have  continued  over  a  longer  period  than 
most  others  have  been  able  to  devote  to  it,  that  his  conclu- 
sions are  safe. 

Saltville,  the  place  where  salt  has  been  manufactured, 
without  intermission  of  any  duration,  for  a  great  many  years, 
including  the  ground  occupied  by  the  Buena  Vista  Plaster 
Mills,  is  the  southwestern  limit  of  the  extraordinary  deposits 
of  salt  and  plaster  which  mark  the  line  of  a  great  fissure  in 
the  crust  of  the  earth,  along  the  course  of  the  North  Fork  of 
Holston  River — mainly  in  Smyth  County — about  seventeen 
miles  of  which  show  Salt  and  Plaster  ;  but  only  that  sin- 
gularly beautiful  basin  surrounding  Saltville  is  positively 
known  to  yield  much  salt. 

This  great  fissure,  it  may  be  as  well  to  say,  brings  up  the 
limestones  of  the  Lower  Silurian  division,  charged  with  sul- 
phide of  iron,  against  a  downthrow  of  Proto-Carboniferous 
rocks,  charged  also  more  or  less  with  sulphide  of  iron.  It  is 
possible  that  after  the  great  pressure  (from  southeast  to 
northwest)  upon  the  arched  crust  of  the  earth  had  resulted 
in  the  above  action,  a  compensating  pressure  Avas  then  ex- 
erted at  right  angles  to  the  first,  causing  in  many  j)laces 
great  fragments  of  the  crust  to  slide  between  each  other ;  in 
other  j)laces  (as  the  one  now  treated)  causing  the  great  fis- 
sures between  great  fragments  to  yawn  (at  the  same  time  the 
whole  being  raised)  and  remain  open,  probably  because  great 
pieces  were  j^recipitated  into  the  chasm,  preventing  the  sides 
from  settling  back  into  close  contact  with  each  other.  Into 
such  a  great  yawning  series  of  chasms,  on  the  line  above 
mentioned,  since  the  close  of  the  Carboniferous  age  (when 
the  fracture  is  suj^posed  to  have  occurred)  have  the  Avaters 
coming  from  the  surrounding  strata,  charged  with  brine  from 
the  salt  series  of  the  coal  rocks,  and  with  sulphuric  acid  and 
lime  from  the  decomposing  iron  sulphides  and  limestones, 


SMYTH   CO. — SALT  AND   GYrSUM,  OR  PLASTER.  103 

been  pouring  tliousands  upon  thousands  of  tons  of  both  salt 
and  sulphuric  acid  and  lime,  now  combined  into  sulphate  of 
lime,  or  gypsum.  These  solutions  finally  deposited  the  rock 
salt  and  plaster;  the  salt  seeming  to  have  been  deposited 
first,  as  at  Saltville,  over  175  feet  thick,  its  top  being  at  a 
depth  of  200  feet  from  the  surface.  Then  above  this  comes 
about  100  feet  of  bluish  slate,  overlaid  with  gypseous  clays  of 
variable  thickness.  These  measures  are  only  local  to  Salt- 
ville. At  the  Buena  Vista  j)laster  beds,  a  mile  or  more  south- 
west of  the  Saltville  beds,  the  plaster  is  a  fine  compact  body 
of  great  but  scarcely  known  thickness,  tliough  it  is  some- 
times asserted  that  its  depth  is  determined.  Northeast- 
wardly from  Saltville  six  miles,  immediately  on  the  river,  the 
Pearson  plaster  beds  have  been  explored  to  a  depth  of  about 
180  feet ;  and  they  indicate  not  only  continuity,  but  great 
solidity.  At  Buchanan's  Plaster  Cove,  sixteen  miles  north- 
eastwardly from  Saltville,  on  the  north  side  of  Holston  Iliver, 
the  great  chasm  must  have  been  very  wide  and  deep.  Here, 
an  8  by  10  shaft,  which  was  sunk  592  feet  in  search  of  salt, 
was  in  fine  plaster  all  the  way  down,  showing  saline  satura- 
tion to  some  extent  near  the  bottom. 

"While  it  is  not  unreasonable  to  suppose  that  at  Saltville 
and  the  immediate  vicinity  there  are  500  acres  of  land  under- 
laid with  rock  salt,  there  can  be  no  impropriety  in  giving  the 
quantity  of  it  underlying  100  acres.  Such  a  calculation  will 
serve  to  show  why  these  deposits  have  been  drawn  upon  so 
long  without  apparently  losing  anything  of  thoir  original 
strength  and  quantity. 

The  most  reliable  data  give  the  thidcnesH  of  the  rock- 
salt  at  175  feet,  with  the  certainty  of  much  of  the  overlying 
and  underlying  material  so  heavily  saturated  with  brine  as 
to  almost,  if  not  quite,  form  a  source  of  HU])|ily  (M|iial  to  one 
half  the  volume  of  the  rock  salt;  but,  discarding  this  view  of 
the  case  as  not  fully  proven,  the  calculation  upon  tlio  basis 


104  SMYTH   CO.— GYPSUM. 

of  175  feet  thickness  will  make  manifest  the  inexhaustible 
source  from  which  the  Holston  Salt  and  Plaster  Company- 
are  deriving  their  salt.  For  100  acres  the  result  is  about 
2,100,000  tons  of  rock  salt.  It  is  true,  that  in  the  175  feet 
there  will  be  a  considerable  quantity  of  earthy  as  well  as 
rock  material ;  not  only  is  this  saturated  with  brine,  but 
enough  of  the  surrounding  material  to  justify  the  calculation 
being  made  upon  the  basis  of  175  feet  thickness,  solid.  Now 
it  may  be  assumed,  without  reasonable  doubt,  that  there  is 
at  least  five  times  that  quantity,  with  the  very  high  proba- 
bility that  the  rocks  of  Nos.  X.  and  XII.,  the  original  source 
of  supply,  are  still  by  drainage  annually  adding  fresh  sup- 
plies. 

It  may  be  submitted,  then,  that  an  annual  consumption  of 
23,000  tons  of  salt,  as  is  the  present  yield,  will  not  exhaust 
the  supply  under  100  acres  of  land  for  seventy  years  to 
come,  assuming  that  in  the  past  the  quantity  consumed  is 
about  equal  to  500,000  bushels  annually  for  thirty  years ;  and 
if  the  rocks  of  X.  and  XII.  are  still  giving  up  salt,  it  is  truly 
inexhaustible.  It  has  never  been  necessary  to  pump  in  fresh 
water,  as  sometimes  asserted,  in  order  to  keep  up  a  regular 
flow  through  the  pumps.  The  water,  finding  its  way  to  the 
salt  alone  as  fast  as  needed,  soon  takes  up  the  necessary 
quantity,  and  comes  out  saturated  to  the  usual  density, 
which  is  now  given  at  98  per  cent. 

GYPSUM. 

As  to  the  quantity  of  the  gypsum,  if  it  were  solid,  80  feet 
thick,  it  would  yield  about  90,000  tons  to  the  acre.  But  there 
is  really  no  telling  how  much  ground  about  Saltville  is  under- 
laid with  plaster.  It  may  be  confined  to  the  edges  of  this 
basin,  or,  if  deposited  from  a  solution,  as  is  strongly  sus- 
pected, it  is  likely  to  underlie  the  whole  acreage  of  the  Salt- 


SMYTH  CO. — GYPSUM.  105 

ville  basin.  In  this  case  tlie  quantity  is  far  beyond  any  de- 
mand -wliicli  is  ever  possible  to  be  made  iipon  it.  At  the 
Pearson  plaster  beds  these  conditions  are  likely  to  prove  the 
same.  At  Buchanan's  Plaster  Cove,  sixteen  miles  east  of  Salt- 
ville,  the  plaster  is  known  to  be  592  feet  thick  at  one  point ;  and, 
in  all  probability,  underlies  an  acreage  fully  as  large,  if  not 
larger,  than  that  at  Saltville.  One  acre  of  it,  to  the  depth 
above  given,  from  actual  measurement,  holds  over  666,000 
tons.  One  hundred  acres  will  yield  66,600,000  tons,  if  the 
data  derived  from  close  investigation  be  admissible. 

The  acreage  under  which  this  extensive  gypsum  deposit 
has  been  positively  ascertained — in  the  Saltville  Basin, 
about  Pearson's,  Taylor's,  and  the  Buchanan  Plaster  Cove 
— may  almost  be  estimated  by  the  square  mile  rather  than 
by  the  acre.  To  give  the  acreage  would  therefore  be  super- 
fluous. 

The  present  annual  consumption  of  plaster,  from  all  these 
deposits,  is  about  as  follows  : 

Holston  Salt  and  Plaster  Co 3,000  tons. 

Buena  Vista  Plaster  Co 2,000      " 

Pearson  Plaster  Banks   800 

Buchanan  or  Cove  Plaster  Banks 500 


tt 


Total 6,300  tona. 

The  first  two  plaster  companies  enjoy  railroad  facilities, 
supplied  by  the  Atlantic, MisHiHsii)pi  and  Oliio  Ptailioad  (com- 
pany ;  the  latter  two  hope  that  witliin  a  year  or  two,  either 
the  Richmond  and  Southwesteiin  IUilroad,  or  the  Yiiiginia, 
Kentucky  and  Ohio  Railroad  will  bo  built  tlirough  both  tJu>ir 
properties.     It  may  not  bo  inappro[)riato  to  say,  before  dis- 


106  SMYTH   CO. — GYPSUM. 

missing  tlie  subject  of  plaster,  tliat  its  use  as  a  fertilizer,  in 
Virginia  alone,  sliould  be  mucli  greater  than  it  is ;  not  only 
because  its  consumption  would  save  annually  to  Virginia  a 
very  large  sum,  which  is  now  being  sent  out  of  the  State  for 
other  fertilizers  not  as  good ;  but  for  the  reason  that,  the 
State  finances  being  low,  so  fine  a  basis  upon  which  to  create 
much  more  extensive  operations,  and  much  more  the  ability 
to  pay  taxes  than  now  exist,  should  not  be  neglected. 

Now,  it  is  plain  that,  without  other  lines  of  transportation 
even  than  those  at  present  in  use,  this  desirable  object  can 
be  to  some  extent  accomplished,  and  that  will  be  by  causing 
the  plaster  to  be  used  as  a  permanent  fertilizer,  instead  of  a 
mere  stimulant  for  growing  crops,  as  is  now  generally  the 
case.  The  following  being  the  reasons  for  the  assumption 
held  forth  above : 

Plaster,  or  the  ordinary  gypsum,  contains  about  forty-five 
per  cent,  of  sulphuric  acid.  When  finely  pulverized  and  inti- 
mately mixed  with  any  soil  it  is  clear  that  this  acid  must  be 
a  solvent  for  many  of  its  constituents,  all,  in  fact,  upon  which 
it  will  act  anywhere.  Now  the  soils  of  this  coimtry  contain  a 
good  deal  of  silica  combined  with  potash  and  soda,  as  well  as 
iron  ores  in  greater  or  less  quantity,  more  or  less  charged 
with  phosphorus.  It  is  plain  then  that  if  a  cheap  reagent 
can  be  had  which  will  dissolve  these  substances,  and  cause 
them  to  yield  the  potash,  soda,  phosphorus,  etc.,  we  have  all 
the  requisites.  It  is  here  submitted  that  gypsum  will  do 
this,  if  it  is  a  good  soluble  article.  The  reactions  are  likely 
to  be  something  like  the  following  :  The  gypsum  thrown  into 
•  the  soil  in  a  pulverized  condition,  and  coming  into  contact 
with  moist  substances,  for  which  its  constituents  have  a  high 
affinity,  it  begins  to  break  up  or  dissolve,  the  sulphuric  acid 
attacking  mineral  and  organic  matter  alike,  together  with  the 
downfall  of  ammonia  in  rains  and  snows,  causing  it  to  take 
forms  highly  useful  to  plant  life,  which  the  plant  couldn't  utilize 


SMYTH   CO. — GYPSUM.  107 

before.  Thus  tlie  flint  gives  way  and  yields  potash,  soda,  and 
silica  ;  clays  are  dissolved  to  some  extent  and  form  new  com- 
binations  ;  the  iron  ores  give  up  their  phosphates,  as  well  as 
the  minute  fragments  of  apatite ;  and  the  lime,  left  to  itself  as 
pure  calcium,  forms  other  reagents,  prominent  among  which  is 
calcium  hydrate  or  caustic  lime,  which  is  itself  one  of  the 
most  powerful  reagents  known. 

All  of  these  acting  together  do  all  the  work  nearly,  in  the 
soils  of  Southwestern  Virginia  and  the  neighboring  States, 
which  any  fertilizer  can  accomplish.  Let  us  see  then  if  there 
is  any  prominent  practical  illustration  of  the  theory. 

Mr.  Legrand  Sexton,  of  Chatham  Hill,  in  Smyth  County, 
having  bought  two  old  worn-out  farms  near  the  Cove  Plaster 
Banks,  determined  to  try  the  efficacy  of  plaster  as  a  perma- 
nent fertilizer,  since  he  was  so  close  to  the  deposits  as  to 
bring  the  question  of  cost  to  a  nominal  figure.  Upon  these 
two  places  the  soil  had  been  reduced  so  by  constant  croj)ping 
that  they  would  scarcely  produce  nine  bushels  of  corn  to  the 
acre  ;  the  soil  being  in  the  limestone  belt,  and  covered  more 
or  less  with  flint  containing  potash  and  soda  and  doubtless 
much  comminuted  iron  ore. 

At  first  he  plowed  four  inches  deep,  sowing  about  one 
bushel  of  plaster  to  the  acre ;  the  next  year  he  gauged  his 
plows  two  inches  deeper,  sowing  an  increased  quantity  of 
plaster,  the  jield  of  corn — the  crop  he  used — greatly  augment- 
ing ;  the  third  year  he  plowed  two  inches  deeper,  about  eight 
inches  altogether,  using  something  less  than  two  bushels  of 
plaster  to  the  acre,  his  crop  of  corn  at  the  end  of  the  season 
being  so  great  as  to  astonish  him.  The  fourth  year  lie  plowed 
still  deeper,  bringing  up  the  clay  subsoil  into  contact  wilb  an 
increased  quantity  per  acre  of  plastcn-,  making  a  yi<lt1,  at  the 
end  of  the  fourth  sfason,  of  oim^  hvindiccl  iind  twrnly-fivo 
bushels  of  corn  per  aero,  on  ground  tlial  liail  luiii  really 
abandoned  by  the  unenteri)rising  people  who  had  previously 


108  SMYTH  CO. — BAEYTES. 

held  it.  This  land  when  last  seen  seemed  to  be  in  a  state  of 
permanent  fertility,  for  the  corn  on  it  in  1878  looked  to  the 
writer  as  though  it  would  yield  over  one  hundred  bushels  to 
the  acre. 

It  may  be  inferred  from  these  facts  that,  should  the  owners  of 
■plaster  deposits  who  can  afford  it  send  out  competent  agents 
to  all  points  accessible  by  rail,  and  there  lecture  upon  the  true 
character  and  capacities  of  plaster,  demonstrated  both  by 
chemistry  and  practice,  they  would  thereby  so  greatly  in- 
crease the  demand  for  a  good  article  as  to  make  it  difficult  to 
supply  it.  As  long,  however,  as  the  active  canvassers  of  fer- 
tilizers from  enterprising  Eastern  firms  go  through  the  country, 
making  statements  sometimes  prejudicial  to  the  use  of  plaster, 
and  altogether  in  praise  of  their  own  wares,  without  meeting 
men  of  like  activity  and  enterprise  working  for  the  plaster 
interest,  we  may  conclude  that  just  so  long  will  the  important 
industry  of  plaster  development  remain  at  a  standstill,  if  it 
does  not  recede. 

BAEYTES. 

This  has  beeij  another  source  of  revenue  to  the  county  of 
Smyth.  An  enterprising  gentleman  from  New  York  State, 
some  years  since,  finding  barytes  in  large  quantities  near 
Marion,  began  its  mining  and  shijiment.  From  this  business 
he  has  made  large  j)rofits  ;  and,  by  his  work,  has  demon- 
strated that  the  county,  particularly  in  the  localities  just  east 
and  west  of  Marion,  is  capable  of  yielding  a  very  large  tonnage 
of  this  material.  It  seems  to  be  pocketed  in  Lower  Silurian 
limestones,  in  a  series  parallel  with  and  just  south  of  the 
Atlantic,  Mississippi  and  Ohio  Railroad.  It  is  sometimes 
picked  up  in  other  sections  of  the  county,  but,  as  yet,  not 
in  sufficient  masses  to  justify  the  expectation  of  large  quan- 
tities. 


S^IYTH   CO. — TDIBER.  109 


M-UIBLE. 


Smyth  holds  two  lines  of  rock  yielding  handsome  speci- 
mens of  variegated  marble.  One  is  a  gray  variety,  closely 
resembling  that  from  Tennessee,  found  in  a  railroad  cut  one 
mile  east  of  Marion ;  the  other  belongs  to  the  series  of  rocks 
near  to  and  just  south  of  Saltville,  and  all  the  way  up  Rich 
Valley,  which  lie  about  the  junction  of  the  Trenton  and 
Hudson  sub-epochs.  In  these  ledges  may  be  discovered 
marble  of  purple  and  brown  variegation,  and  a  gray  variety 
also.  Both  of  these  would  polish  well,  apparently,  and  yield 
a  handsome  ornamental  stone.  Should  they  prove  sufficiently 
firm  in  large  blocks,  there  is  scarcely  any  limit  to  the 
quantity. 

KAOUN. 

The  mountainous  region  between  the  Atlantic,  Mississippi 
and  Ohio  Kailroad  and  Eye  Valley  shows  beds  of  kaolin  of 
unknown  extent.  The  quality,  also,  has  not  yet  been  tested. 
It  is  supposed  to  result  from  the  decomposition  of  strata 
largely  composed  of  felspar  in  the  Potsdam  rocks. 

TIMBER. 

This  county  can  enumerate  all  the  valuable  kinds  of  timber 
known  to  the  latitude,  including  two  or  more  varieties  of  the 
fir  tree.  White  Top  Mountain  has  a  large  body  of  balsam 
fir ;  with  this  may  be  placed  the  lashhorn,  a  kind  of  fir  Avitli 
a  differently  shaped  leaf  from  the  ordinary  balsam  fir,  and 
having  its  lim])s  to  grow  out  from  the  body  of  the  tree  in 
sucli  a  manner  as  to  form  a  lace  work,  apparently  lashed 
together  so  thickly  as  to  porinit  a  number  of  ])orHons  to 
occupy  the  flattened  top  without  danger  of  breaking  through. 

All  over  the  sides  of  White  Top  IMountain  are  vast  forests 
of  a  superior   growth,  including  much  wild  cherry,  poplar, 


110  SMYTH  CO. — AGEICULTUEE. 

etc.  In  the  Iron  Mountain  tliere  are  fine  bodies  of  white 
pine,  and  all  tlirougli  tlie  county,  except  right  on  the  line  of 
the  Atlantic,  Mississippi  and  Ohio  Eailroad,  and  the  vicinity 
of  Saltville,  there  are  immense  primitive  forests  miles  in 
extent.  Such  is  the  case  in  the  north  spurs  of  Iron  Moun- 
tain, Glade  and  "White  Eock  Mountains,  Little  Walker's,  Big 
"Walker's,  Brushy,  Clinch,  and  Poor  Valley  Mountain,  and 
adjacent  valleys.  So  that  the  iron  master  need  not  fear  the 
early  disappearance  of  an  abundance  of  charcoal.  In  many 
of  the  limestone  districts  there  are  still  remaining  very  large 
quantities  of  walnut,  sugar  tree,  and  other  fijie  woods. 

WATEE  POWEE. 

The  three  forks  of  Holston  Eiver,  each  discharging  about 
150  cubic  feet  of  water  before  leaving  the  county,  afford  suf- 
ficient water  power  with  their  tributaries  to  supply  all  the  de- 
mand which  may  ever  be  made  upon  them. 

These  streams  are  constant. 

AGEICULTUEE. 

The  most  profitable  branch  of  agriculture  is  grazing. 
There  are  but  few  large  farms  employed  in  raising  grain 
alone.  The  lands  are  generally  well  adapted  to  grass,  bring- 
ing blue  grass  naturally.  A  very  large  area  of  the  county  is 
taken  up  by  high  mountains  ;  but  the  area  of  limestone,  or 
strictly  grass  lands,  is  more  than  half  the  county.  The  val- 
leys of  the  North,  Middle,  and  South  Forks  of  Holston  Eiver, 
including  Eich  Valley  on  the  north  side  of  Walker's  Mountain 
and  Eye  Valley  on  the  south  side  of  the  county,  show  all  the 
fine  features  characteristic  of  the  best  lands  of  the  Valley  of 
Virginia.  Sinclair's  Bottom,  on  the  South  Fork,  near  the 
Smyth-Washington  line,  is  often  quoted  as  one  of  the  best 
bodies  of  land  in  the  State.     Every  one  who  has  seen  the 


i-.^w" 


Francis  Palmer.     At  2  Years. 


11278.     Albert  Edicard.     At  5  Years. 

TWO   OF   THE   FINE   HERD   AT   SALTYILLE,    VA. 
(P.   Ill  ) 


SMYTH  CO. — SCENERY.  Ill 

Saltville  basin  can  only  speak  in  terms  of  praise  of  the  great 
fertility  of  its  loamy  soil,  and  thus  could  many  places  noted 
for  the  excellence  of  the  soil  be  called  over  in  the  county. 
Poor  Valley  makes  no  pretensions  to  richness  of  soil,  but 
many  farms  are  situated  in  it  notwithstanding,  the  people 
living  well.  It  is  superfluous  to  name  the  different  farm  prod- 
ucts of  the  county  :  wheat,  corn,  oats,  hay,  rye,  and  buck- 
wheat are  the  ordinary  crops  throughout,  and  no  season  is 
remembered  when  there  was  a  complete  failure  in  any  crop. 
Cattle,  horses,  sheep,  and  hogs  do  well,  some  of  the  finest 
herds  of  cattle  in  the  country  being  now  raised. 

SCENERY. 

Smyth,  Washington,  and  Grayson  counties  may  all  make 
equal  claim  to  the  incomparable  scenery  spread  out  on  every 
side  of  the  White  Top  Mountain.  To  confine  one's  self  to  the 
magnificent  picture  presented  to  the  tourist  on  first  seeing 
the  carpeted  summit  of  White  Top,  relieved  by  a  background 
of  fir  and  lashhorn  trees,  is  itself  sufficient  to  stamjD  the  place 
of  the  first  order.  This  grassy  plateau,  on  the  top  of  the 
mountains,  of  one  hundred  acres,  is  covered  over  with  a  thick 
and  deep  turf  of  some  grass  usual  to  high  altitudes,  and  un- 
known in  the  viilleys  below  ;  watered  here  and  there  by  crys- 
tal springs,  it  affords,  in  spring  and  summer,  fine,  nutritious 
grazing  to  stock,  etc.,  which  only  serve  by  their  presence  to 
heighten  the  effect  of  the  rare,  splendid  picture  of  the  green 
fiold  with  its  setting  of  darker  green,  5,500  feet  above  the 
sea. 

Then,  lor)king  tlirough  the  clear  atmosphere  on  any  side, 
with  tlie  field-glass,  or  without  it,  a  rare  and  lovoly  landscape 
meets  the  eye.  In  the  distance  may  bo  seen  tlio  ])igniy  look- 
ing railway  trains,  apparently  moving  at  a  snail's  pace, 
thougli  going  at  high  speed,  leaving  boliind  them  trails 
of  smoke  of  deeper  and  lighter  shades. 


112  SMYTH  CO. — MINERAL  SPEINGS. 

The  open  farms  look  like  blankets  of  green  upon  a  great 
surface  of  darker  colors.  Only  by  seeing  it  can  tlie  view  be 
appreciated. 

Saltville  stands  in  broken  groups  in  a  basin,  cut  by  the 
Land  of  nature  out  of  an  emerald.  This  lovely  vale  sits  the 
mistress  of  all  scenery !  Beyond  the  power  of  description,  a 
vocabulary  of  praise  would  hang  like  an  ugly  web  upon  its 
quiet  beauty.  It  is  sweetest  nature  in  its  noblest  moment 
frozen  into  eternal  repose.  It  is  a  poem  of  Heaven,  making 
music  in  the  hearts  of  the  glad  and  the  sad  alike.  It  is  the 
last  and  most  beautiful  touch  of  the  Almighty  Hand,  re- 
newed every  year  in  changing  hues,  speaking  plainly,  "  This 
is  my  handiwork  !  Behold  it !  " 

So  are  the  many  other  beautiful  pieces  of  nature's  painting 
in  this  county,  but  all  must  yield  the  ]3alm  to  Saltville 
Basin. 

Not  in  the  days  when  it  was  but  a  salt,  salt  sea  did  it  give 
promise  of  its  resurrection,  in  these  latter  days,  into  such  a 
living  source  of  beauty  and  profit.  What  a  pity  that  man 
should  mar  it,  or  make  other  use  of  it  than  for  the  glory  of 
Him  who  made  it.  Not  that  we  say  it  is  being  used  other- 
wise now,  for  it  gives  of  its  substance  to  thousands. 

To  attempt  to  eulogize  its  beauty  would  be  to  multiply 
words  without  the  power  to  touch  the  subject ;  so  we  leave 
it,  radiant  in  its  own  power,  to  best  proclaim  itself  un- 
equaled. 

•    MINERAL    SPRINGS. 

At  this  time  the  Chilhowie  Holston  Springs,  on  the  Middle 
Fork  of  Holston  Eiver,  ten  miles  southwest  of  Marion,  are  the 
principal  springs  prepared  to  keep  visitors.  Their  waters 
have  not  yet  been  fully  analyzed ;  but  their  general  character, 
together  with  the  fine  air  and  lovely  river  scenery,  combine 
to  render  the  place  attractive. 


SMYTH  CO. — FTRNACES  AXD   FOKGES.  113 

M-VNUFACTURES. 

The  county  is  not  only  siipplied  Avith  the  requisite  num- 
ber of  good  grist  and  saw  mills,  in  various  neighborhoods, 
tanneries,  etc.,  but  it  has  two  first-class  woolen  factories,  be- 
sides the  great  manufactory  for  salt  at  Saltville. 

The  Holston  Woolen  Mills,  situated  about  six  miles  south- 
west from  Marion  on  the  South  Fork  of  Holston  Eiver,  now 
annually  turn  out  large  quantities  of  cassimeres,  jeans,  blank- 
ets, etc. 

The  factory  in  Kich  Valley  will  do  the  same,  and  both  have 
become  recognized  as  safe  and  successful  institutions  of  their 
kind.  Marion  has  long  been  known  as  having  one  of  the 
best  plow  factories  in  the  country,  supplying  a  very  large 
trade. 

FUENACES  AND   FORGES. 

Panic  Furnace,  or  what  is  now  called  White  Kock  Furnace, 
went  into  blast  August  9th,  1875,  for  some  years  out  of  blast, 
but  is  again  at  work  under  its  new  ownership,  that  of  the 
Lobdell  Car  Wheel  Co.,  of  Wilmington,  Del.,  as  a  cold-blast 
charcoal  six-ton  furnace.  It  derives  its  ores  from  the  large 
beds  in  the  slopes  of  White  Eock  and  Glade  Mountains  and 
vicinity  ;  and  will  perhaps  command  some  of  the  magnetic 
ores  of  Grayson  and  Ashe  counties,  it  being  proposed  to  con- 
nect this  furnace,  the  magnetic  ores  mentioned,  and  Rural 
Retreat  on  the  Atlantic,  Mississippi  and  Ohio  Railroad,  by 
means  of  a  narrow-gauge  railroad. 

Pearce's  Forge,  three  and  a  li.df  miles  l)olow  Sugar  Grove, 
on  South  Fork  of  Holston  River,  makes  excellent  bar  ii-oii 
from  tlie  ores  of  the  groat  iron  belt  in  that  vicinity. 

This  is  about  the  sum  of  tlio  iini)C)rtant  manufactories,  fur- 
naces, and  forges  in  Smytli  now  in  operation,  or  contem- 
plated to  go  to  work  soon.  The  old  furnace  in  Staloy's  Mill 
8 


114  SMYTH   CO. — LINES  OF  TRANSPORTATION. 

Creek  neigliborliood  is  scarcely  worth  mentioning  except 
from  a  historical  point  of  view.  It  seems  to  have  been  in 
use  during  the  late  unpleasantness,  and  is  said  to  have  illus- 
trated the  high  quality  of  the  ores  of  that  vicinity. 

LINES  OF  TRANSPORTATION. 

The  Atlantic,  Mississippi  and  Ohio  Kailroad  runs  through 
the  county  from  east  to  west,  or,  rather,  from  northeast  to 
southwest,  bringing  the  county  into  communication  with  the 
eastern  seaboard,  and  the  western  and  southern  railroads 
and  rivers.  The  Saltville  branch  of  this  line  also  leads  back 
into  this  county,  although  it  leaves  the  main  stem  in  Wash- 
ington County. 

In  Kich  Valley,  or  the  valley  of  the  North  Fork  of  Holston 
River,  are  the  projected  lines  of  branches  of  the  Richmond 
and  Southwestern  Railroad,  and  of  the  Virginia,  Kentucky 
and  Ohio  Railroad.  Either  of  these,  if  built,  will  open  up 
the  vast  plaster  deposits  of  Buchanan's  Cove,  and  the  agri- 
cultural and  mineral  resources  of  a  fine  section. 

There  are  also  one  or  two  lines  of  railway  chartered  to 
cross  the  country,  leading  both  toward  the  copper  mines 
south  of  the  Iron  Mountain,  and  toward  Tazewell  County  on 
the  north  side.  One  of  them  to  the  south,  the  Virginia  and 
Statesville  Railroad,  may  at  some  day  be  built  from  Adkins, 
on  the  Atlantic,  MississijDpi  and  Ohio  Railroad,  through 
Grayson  and  Ashe,  etc.,  to  Statesville,  N.  C,  opening  a  rich 
mineral  and  timber  region.  The  other,  the  Saltville  and 
Coal  Mine  Railroad,  will  soon  commence  construction  from 
Saltville  to  the  coal  measures  in  Russell,  etc. 

Fish  Culture  will  finally  become  a  necessary  industry  in 
Smyth  County.  The  streams  now  have  a  great  many  fine 
bass,  redeye,  chub,  sucker,  and  the  mountain  streams  some 
trout.     Lick  Creek,  which  comes  out  from  the  direction  of 


SMYTH    CO. — ^EDUCATION.  115 

Burk's  Garden,  lias  still  some  trout,  as  well  as  many  streams 
flowing  from  the  Iron  Mountain. 

The  streams  are  well  adapted,  to  game  fish,  and  will  at 
some  day  be  utilized  on  account  of  their  industrial  value  in 
this  way. 

Bee  Culture  is  carried  to  some  perfection  in  Smyth,  not  so 
much  for  the  profit  on  the  honey  raised  for  market,  as  for 
home  use.  Many  improved  gums  have  been  tried,  of  which 
the  Starbuck  patent  seems  to  be  very  generally  in  use. 
There  is  also  another  one  of  home  invention,  known  as  the 
Davis  hive,  which  seems  to  meet  the  requirements  of  this 
latitude. 

Grape  Ctilture,  which  seems  now  not  to  attract  so  much  at- 
tention, was  once  a  subject  of  importance.  Much  wine  was 
made,  by  the  Sprinkles  particularly,  a  few  miles  east  of  Ma- 
rion ;  but  now,  except  for  table  use,  but  little  attention  is 
being  paid  to  the  improvement  of  the  grape,  or  to  its  culture 
as  a  wine  crop. 

TRADE   IN   CATTLE,  SHEEP,  WHEAT,  CORN,  ETC. 

Cattle,  about. . . .  2,300  head  sold  annually— 75  thorougli-bred  annually  from  Palmer  at  Salt\'ille. 

Sheep,     "     ....  3,000    " 

Wool,      "     ....  15,000  pounds. 

Wheat,    "     ....95,000  bushels. 

Co.-n,  bat  a  small  surplus  is  sold. 

Barytes,  1,600  tons. 

EDUCATION. 

More  than  usual  attention  has  been  paid  to  the  important 
question  of  education  in  Smyth.  There  is  a  fine  high  school 
at  Marion,  the  Marion  High  Scliool  for  boys  and  girls. 
This  is  evidenced  by  th(!  immbcis  1  hat  are  sent  from  sur- 
rounding counties.  Besides  this,  and  other  good  schools  of 
its  kind,  the  pul^lic  school  system  is  kept  up  to  as  high  a 
state  of  efiicicncy  as  the  puljlic  funds  will  permit. 


116  SMYTH  CO. — TOWNS  AND  VILLAGES. 

TOWNS  AND  VILLAGES. 

Marion,  the  county  site,  is  nearly  in  the  center  of  the 
county,  on  the  Middle  Fork  of  Holston  Eiver,  and  by  it 
passes  the  Atlantic,  Mississippi  and  Ohio  Eailroad.  Marion, 
besides  its  good  school,  has  timber  factories,  fine  flour- 
ing mills,  hotels,  churches,  stores,  a  bank,  and  various  repair 
shops,  and  ought  naturally  to  be  a  thriving  place. 

Saltville,  as  yet  a  village,  is  at  the  present  terminus  of  the 
saltworks  branch  of  the  Atlantic,  Mississippi  and  Ohio  Eail- 
road, and  is  the  center  of  a  large  trade  growing  out  of  the  in- 
dustries of  salt  manufacturing,  plaster  mining,  and  grinding. 
It  has  a  good  hotel,  a  tasteful  church,  and  handsome  resi- 
dences, store,  and  numerous  salt  factories  with  their  appur- 
tenances. 

Its  trade  amounts  to  about  five  hundred  thousand  dollars 
annually. 

When  the  contemplated  system  of  roads,  north  and  south, 
shall  have  been  completed  by  which  the  great  sulphureted 
beds  and  veins  of  Grayson,  Carroll,  and  Ashe  counties  can 
be  utilized,  extensive  works  for  the  manufacture  of  the  fine 
fertilizer,  soda  ash,  will  be  erected  at  or  near  Saltville. 
England  now  manufactures  many  millions  of  tons  of  this 
cheap  fertilizer  annually. 

Seven  3Iile  Ford,  on  Middle  Fork,  long  known  as  the  west- 
ern terminus  of  the  macadamized  turnpike  which  leads  east- 
wardly  to  James  Kiver,  is  now  also  a  station  on  the  Atlantic, 
Mississippi  and  Ohio  Eailroad. 

It  is  a  beautiful  place,  taken  with  its  surroundings. 

Adkins,  toward  the  eastern  end  of  the  county,  and 

Greevers,  toward  the  western  side  of  the  county,  are  both 
thriving  places,  on  the  same  railroad,  doing  a  good  deal  of 
trade. 

Chatham  Hill,  in  Eicli  Valley,  near  the  great  plaster  depos- 


WASHINGTON   COUNTY.  117 

its  of  Buclianan's  Cove,  has  two  or  tliree  stores,  a  cliurcli, 
and  smitli  shops.  It  is  a  rambling  liamlet,  healthfully  situ- 
ated on  the  road  leading  up  from  the  south  bank  of  North 
Fork  of  Holston. 

Broad  Ford,  on  North  Fork,  is  a  place  also  where  a  great 
deal  of  business  is  done.  And  among  other  known  places  in 
the  county  are,  Thomas's,  Holston's  Mills,  Harmon's,  Til- 
son's,  Sugar  Grove,  Chilhowie,  Blue  Spring,  and  Sinclair's 
Bottoms. 

WASHINGTON  COUNTY. 

It  is  not  astonishing  that  one  of  the  fairest  portions  of  the 
State  should  have  been  chosen  to  be  named  after  Washing- 
ton. The  county  which  bears  his  name  is  one  of  the  largest, 
most  populous,  and  among  the  most  important  in  the  State, 
in  every  respect.  Its  large  area ;  wide  expanse  of  grass, 
grain,  and  tobacco  lands ;  fine  ores,  marbles,  etc. ;  fine  for- 
ests, mineral  springs,  and  noble  scenery,  make  it  necessary 
to*  use  language  in  its  description  which,  to  the  impartial 
reader,  sounds  like  mere  fulsome  flattery. 

Several  of  the  mountain  chains,  which  are  so  high  and 
rugged  farther  east,  in  passing  through  "Washington  are  so 
modified  as  to  be  no  longer  the  barriers  they  are  in  Wythe 
and  Smyth.  Thus  the  Big  and  Little  Walker's  Mountains, 
particularly,  have  so  far  disappeared  as  to  present  almost 
one  vast  plain  of  undulating  fields  and  woods  from  (Miiich 
Mountain  on  the  north  to  Iron  Mountain  on  the  soutli ;  leav- 
ing so  much  broader  an  expanse  of  arable  lands  to  moot  the 
eye,  and  contribute  to  the  wealth  and  prosperity  of  the  com- 
munity. So  that  in  Washington  the  Great  Valley  of  Virginia 
is  twenty  miles  wide,  unl)roken  except  by  inferior  ridges, 
which  serve  more  as  divides  between  the  waters  of  dilTcrent 
forks  of  Holston  Iliver  than  anytliing  else. 


118  WASHINGTON  CO. — GEOLOGICAL. 

"Washington,  also,  liolding  some  of  tlie  most  considerable 
towns  and  villages  in  that  section  of  the  State,  claims  addi- 
tional importance  on  that  account. 

HOW   BOUNDED. 

The  Clinch  Mountain  separates  Washington  from  Russell 
on  the  north,  a  length  of  thirty-three  miles.  On  the  south, 
the  Virginia  and  Tennessee  State  line  is  the  boundary ;  toward 
the  southeast  is  the  great  White  Top  Mountain  between  Wash- 
ington and  Grayson  Counties  ;  but  that  southeastern  corner, 
which  is  alike  the  northeastern  corner  of  the  State  of  Ten- 
nessee, is  not  in  the  White  Top  Mountain,  but  on  Pond 
Mountain,  seven  miles  southwest  of  White  Top.  East, 
Washington  is  bounded  by  Smyth  County,  and  west  by  the 
county  of  Scott. 

HOW   WxYTEEED. 

The  different  branches  of  the  Holston  Eiver  and  some  of 
their  tributaries  afford  never-failing  streams  to  every  part 
of  the  county.  A  part  of  the  lower  section  of  North  Fork  of 
Holston  Eiver,  as  well  as  the  South  Fork,  discharge  enough 
water  to  render  their  improvement  for  navigation  purposes 
possible.  The  Middle  and  South  Forks  of  Holston  unite  in 
this  county  and  continue  as  the  South  Fork.  Laurel  Creek, 
a  tributary  which  derives  its  waters  from  streams  flowing 
out  of  White  Top  Mountain  and  from  Tennessee,  is  a  stream 
of  great  importance,  as  affording  abundance  of  water  at  all 
seasons.  It  empties  into  the  South  Fork.  Wolf  Creek  and 
others  which  flow  near  Abingdon  are  valuable ;  likewise  is 
the  creek  which  floAvs  out  by  Bristol,  besides  others  of  value 
in  different  parts  of  the  county. 

GEOLOGICAL. 

It  is  merely  a  repetition  to  put  in  a  geological  section  for 
Washington,  although  for  convenience  it  is  proper  to  do  so. 


WASHINGTON   CO. — lEON.  119 

Tlie  section  for  Smyth  County  shows  the  different  rocks 
making  their  appearance  in  Washington,  though  there  is 
a  difference  in  their  arrangement.  Unlike  Smyth  County, 
Washington  is  free  from  those  intermediate  ranges  known  as 
Glade  and  White  Rock  Mountains,  and  their  extension  is 
occupied  either  by  Lower  Silurian  limestones  or  St.  Peter 
black  shales  and  brown  sandstones,  as  is  the  case  two  or 
three  miles  south  of  Abingdon,  in  the  Knobs. 

Toward  the  extreme  southeast  are  the  Huronian  rocks,  in 
White  Top  and  Pond  Mountains ;  then  going  north  over  the 
Uj)p8r  Huronian,  the  Lower  Cambrian  are  encountered  in 
the  north  slopes  of  Iron  Mountain ;  then  in  the  main  val- 
leys, as  on  South  Fork  of  Holston  River,  Lower  Silurian  lime- 
stones. These  limestones  then  prevail  entirely  across  the 
valley,  except  the  district  of  the  Knobs  just  spoken  of,  and 
also  a  line  of  rather  indistinct  Upper  Silurian  rocks  near  the 
south  side  of  North  Fork,  and  such  of  the  Devonian  series  as 
show  the  succession  of  knobs  westwardly,  toward  the  Scott 
County  line.  On  the  north  side  of  North  Fork  are  the 
Devonian  rocks  in  Brushy  Mountain,  succeeded,  northwardly, 
by  Clinch  Mountain  and  the  Upper  Silurian  series.  That 
this  enumeration  includes  valuable  mineral-bearing  series 
cannot  be  doubted. 

lEON. 

The  valuable  Broion  Ores  of  Wasliington  are  mainly  con- 
fined to  the  Oriskany  measures  on  tlio  soutli  side  of  Clinch 
Mountain. 

That  portion  of  Iron  Mountain  in  the  county  must  yield 
some  of  those  brown  ores  for  which  it  is  notiid  at  other  points, 
but  no  great  developments  have  been  made  as  yot.  Toward 
the  point  whore  the  Soutli  Fork  of  Holston  flows  into  Ten- 
nessee there  are  excellent  brown  ores  in  tlici  limestones, 
found  close  to  a  band  of  magnetic  ores.     From  tlieso  deposits 


120  WASHINGTON   CO. — MAGNETIC   IRON  GEES. 

has  been  taken  a  great  deal  of  ore  for  use  in  a  furnace  close 
by,  now  out  of  blast,  known  as  the  Eagle  Furnace  of  Sullivan 
County,  Tennessee. 

The  ores  of  the  Oriskany  rocks  in  Clinch  Mountain  are  not 
the  only  brown  ores  in  that  section ;  but  they  are  the  most 
important,  not  only  on  account  of  their  greater  purity,  but 
more  reliable  quantity:  they,  however,  follow  the  rule  govern- 
ing thefee  measures  farther  east,  and  are  found  at  intervals 
along  the  course  of  the  mountain,  on  the  south  side,  in  a 
direction  about  north  70°  east,  and  south  70°  west. 

Bed  Iron  Ores. 

Ores  of  this  class,  except  a  considerable  band  of  pure  spec- 
ular ores  on  North  Fork,  are  not  reported  in  any  appreciable 
quantity  outside  of  the  fossil  red  ore  in  the  Clinch  Moun- 
tain. Some  handsome  fragments  have  been  taken  from  an  18- 
inch  vein,  just  east  of  Little  Moccasin  Gap,  in  the  Washiug- 
ton-Russell  line,  on  the  Fossil  Belt. 

Magnetic  Iron  Ores  or  Semi-Magnetic  Red  Ores. 

The  magnetic  ores  of  Washington  seem  to  be  of  that  class, 
which,  at  the  same  time  they  are  abundant,  are  of  the  kind 
most  easily  reducible.  The  most  considerable  deposits  oc- 
cupy a  line  about  1.1  miles  south  of  the  Atlantic,  Mississippi 
and  Ohio  Railroad  at  the  Gollaher  Bank,  and  also  running 
with  the  general  direction  of  the  South  Fork  of  Holston 
River ;  and  one  deposit  may  be  said  to  show  to  advantage  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  mouth  of  Fifteen  Mile  Creek.  Here  the 
measure  is  about  three  feet — sometimes  greater — generally 
between  walls  of  limestone,  dipping  at  a  high  angle  south- 
wardly. 

The  Gallaher  ore  is  near  a  stratum  of  St.  Peter's  sandstone, 
and  shows  nearly  1,000  tons  on  the  surface. 


WASHINGTON  CO. — PLASTER  AND   SALT.  121 

These  measures  are  more  or  less  continuous  for  eiglit  or  nine 
miles,  ■vsdth  a  liigli  probability  that  farther  developments  will 
prove  them  much  longer.  The  old  forge  on  the  south  side 
of  the  river,  near  the  mouth  of  Wolf  Creek,  has  used  these 
ores,  producing  an  excellent  bar  iron. 

The  next  observed  line  of  magnetic  ores  is  on  the  lands  of 
Preston,  three  miles  east  of  Bristol,  about  300  yards  south  of  the 
Atlantic,  Mississippi  and  Ohio  Eailroad.  The  developments 
now  in  progress  will  reveal  their  true  character,  quantity,  etc. 
That  the  White  Top  Mountain  and  vicinity  will  reveal  mag- 
netic ores,  specular  and  brown  ores  in  quantity  in  this  county 
there  can  scarcely  be  room  for  doubt ;  though  it  is  now  to  be 
regretted  that  so  few  developments  have  been  made  both  in 
that  vicinity  and  in  Iron  Mountain. 

COPPER 

Will  be  found  to  exist  in  several  lines  of  ores  in  the  county, 
but  not  in  sufficient  quantity  to  justify  working  on  a  large 
scale.  At  least,  up  to  the  present,  no  developments  would 
lead  to  other  conclusions. 

LEAD  AND  ZINC. 

The  extraordinary  measures  which  hold  such  vast  amounts 
of  lead  and  zinc  farther  east  in  Wythe,  etc.,  would  naturally 
pursue  a  line  running  with  the  general  course  of  the  South 
Fork  of  Holston  River ;  but  it  seems,  from  the  examinations 
made,  that  this  fine  series  has  been  thrown  up  in  the  general 
upheaval  to  such  an  altitude  as  to  have  been  denndod  and 
carried  away.  No  large  quantities  of  either  of  the  luinorals 
may  be  confidently  looked  for,  tf)  judge  from  ])rosout  indica- 
tions. 

PLASTER   AND    SALT. 

It  would  be  difficult  to  csiiniate  tlie  approximate  quantity 
of    the   great   Saltvillo    deposit    assignable   to   Washington 


122  WASHINGTON  CO. — MAKBLE. 

County.  Tlie  great  fissure  in  whicli  these  invaluable  depos- 
its lie  extends  for  some  miles  into  the  county,  in  a  direction 
parallel  with  and  south  of  the  North  Fork  of  Holston  Eiver. 

It  is  not  at  all  conclusive  that  the  lesser  apparent  surface 
indications  determine  that  a  smaller  quantity  exists  in  Wash- 
ington than  in  Smyth ;  that  is,  as  to  the  Saltville  deposits. 
No  one  can  tell  what  great  cavities  and  inequalities  between 
the  sides  of  the  fissure  may  exist  below  ground.  That  there 
are  such  the  Saltville  basin  itself  is  positive  proof;  and,  oc- 
curring as  it  did  so  near  the  surface,  it  needed  but  little 
exploration  to  bring  out  its  character. 

"Washington  County,  it  may  confidently  be  asserted,  holds 
immense  masses  and  deposits  of  both  these  valuable  min- 
erals close  to  the  Washington-Smyth  line.  At  the  Buena 
Yista  Plaster  Works,  the  quality  of  the  plaster  is  unexcep- 
tionable, and  the  only  wonder  is  that  the  sale  of  this  valu- 
able fertilizer  isn't  treble  what  it  now  is. 

As  remarked  in  treating  of  Smyth  Count}^  should  the  own- 
ers adopt  the  plan  of  showing  all  its  qualities  as  a  permanent 
fertilizer,  as  well  as  a  mere  stimulant  for  growing  crops,  it 
can  scarcely  be  doubted  that  the  demand  for  it  will  greatly 
increase.  This  result  could  not  better  be  secured  than  by 
studying  thoroughly  all  the  relations  borne  by  gypsum  to 
agricultural  chemistry,  and  then  having  them  thoroughly 
ventilated  before  the  people  of  every  county  in  each  neigh- 
boring State,  as  well  as  in  Virginia,  by  a  good  lecturer  at 
every  public  gathering. 

MAEBLE. 

A  variegated  marble  in  thick  bands  exists  in  a  line  of  rocks 
south  of  the  North  Fork  of  Holston  River,  and  parallel  in 
trend  with  the  general  course  of  that  stream.  This  series 
may  be  said  to  lie  nearly  at  the  junction  of  the  Trenton  and 
Hudson  sub-epochs.     The  industrial  value  of  these  marbles 


WASHINGTON   CO. — WATER  POWER.  123 

lias  not  yet  been  fully  tested ;  judging  from  tlieir  good 
appearance  now  and  then  tliey  will  be  in  demand  for  orna- 
mental purposes. 

BARYTES 

Exists  in  some  quantity  about  the  middle-southern  jDart  of 
the  county,  but  the  quantity  has  not  yet  been  fully  ascer- 
tained by  actual  development. 

TIMBER. 

The  southern  part  of  the  county,  in  the  vicinity  of  White 
Top  Mountain  and  the  slopes  of  Iron  Mountain,  presents 
areas  still  very  heavily  timbered  with  a  growth  of  fine  tim- 
ber. 

Poor  Valley,  except  in  the  vicinity  of  Saltville,  is  still  heav- 
ily timbered.  Should  the  question  of  quantity  arise  in  con- 
nection with  the  making  of  iron  in  the  vicinity  of  the  greater 
deposits  of  iron  ore,  it  may  be  answered  that  a  sufficient 
quantity  of  cheap  charcoal  is  accessible  to  supply  a  large 
demand  for  a  number  of  years  to  come. 

The  kinds  of  timber  are  all  those  common  to  the  latitude. 
In  the  southern  part,  besides  balsam,  lashhorn,  etc.,  there 
are  quantities  of  wild  cherry,  poplar,  etc.  About  through 
the  great  valley  district  there  are  fine  walnut  trees,  and  in 
places  quite  abundant. 

White  oak  is  the  prevalent  tree.  In  the  Clinch  Mountain 
are  large  boundaries  of  chestnut,  chestnut  oak,  with  hickory, 
etc. 

WATER   rOWER. 

Washington  could  afford  water  power  for  any  d(\sirablo 
purpose  if  called  upon.  TIk*  diU'orent  branches  of  Holstou 
River  and  their  tributaries  offer  facilities  possossed  by  only 
a  few  counties  in  the  State.  Taking  into  consideration  tlio 
large  area  of  the  county,  and  the  unfailing  character  of  the 


124  WASHINGTON  CO. — AGRICULTUEE. 

rather  large  streams  contributing  power,  the  aggregate  num- 
ber of  mill  sites  which  may  be  used  indifferently  for  large 
grist-mills,  cotton  or  woolen  mills,  or  saw-mills,  is  great 
enough  to  defy  computation. 

South  and  North  Forks,  where  they  flow  into  Tennessee, 
discharge  about  400  cubic  feet  per  second  each. 

AGRICULTURE. 

Agriculture  being  the  chief  pursuit  of  the  people,  and  the 
land  being  in  a  fine  grass-producing  section,  the  county  now 
derives  nearly  all  its  revenues  and  support  from  that  source. 
Like  its  sister  counties,  Washington  does  not  pretend  to 
have  made  much  headway  in  farming  as  a  science ;  land  is 
siill  too  abundant  and  cheap,  and  population  too  scarce  ;  but 
nature  has  made  these  limestone  lands  so  rich,  and  has  given 
such  propitious  seasons,  together  with  so  admirable  an  eleva- 
tion above  the  sea,  that  the  different  grasses,  growing  in  rich 
profusion  season  after  season,  would  almost  alone  render  the 
county  remarkably  capable  of  producing  the  best  and  most 
constant  revenue. 

Space  would  not  permit  a  description  of  particular  locali- 
ties most  famous  for  the  fertility  and  productiveness  of  their 
soil.  It  would  be  an  invidious  task  at  best.  To  get  on  some 
elevated  point  and  look  over  the  broad  expanse  of  the  county, 
the  eye  meets  with  a  most  pleasing  picture  in  the  alternation 
of  hill  and  dale,  of  woodland  and  pasture,  occupying  such  a 
widely  extended  area.  It  is  not  a  mere  series  of  plantations, 
side  by  side  along  the  banks  of  a  large  stream,  with  all  the 
rest  in  swamp  or  inaccessible  mountain ;  the  whole  broad  val- 
ley is  quilted  over  with  farms  of  princely  size,  and  many  of 
them  of  surpassing  beauty. 

In  wheat,  corn,  grasses,  rye,  oats,  barley,  buckwheat,  flax, 
etc.,  the  county  for  the  greater  part  has  few  equals  as  a  pro- 
ducer. 


■WASHINGTON  CO. — MINEEAL  SPRINGS.  125 

TOBACCO  CULTUEE. 

Of  late  years  tobacco  culture  lias  reached  a  liigli  limit  in 
the  county,  and  that  staple  is  now  being  produced  to  the 
extent  of  1,200,000  pounds  of  leaf  annually. 

MINERAL  SPRINGS. 

The  Seven  Springs,  between  Glade  Spring  and  Saltville,  on 
the  Saltville  branch  of  the  Atlantic,  Mississippi  and  Ohio 
Raih'oad,  is  the  place  at  which  is  now  being  made  the  widely 
and  justly  famed  Seven  Sjjrings  Iron  and  Alum  Mass.  At 
these  springs  are  nicely  arranged  furnaces  and  boilers  for 
reducing  the  water  drawn  from  the  Seven  Springs,  the  waters 
from  which,  when  analyzed  together,  gave  in  advance  the 
medicinal  constituents  which  have  proven  of  such  high  effi- 
cacy in  nearly  all  forms  of  "disease.  Dr.  J.  "W.  Mallet,  of 
the  University  of  Virginia,  is  the  chemist  whose  searching 
analysis  first  showed  the  wonderful  therapeutic  value  of  this 
water. 

It  is  now  confidently  believed  that,  with  an  energetic  sys- 
tem of  advertising  throughout  the  country,  the  demand  for 
this  mass  must  be  far  in  excess  of  any  jDossible  supply. 

A  most  careful  inquiry  into  results  reveals  tlie  fact,  that 
out  of  the  thousands  of  medicines  of  every  conceivable  kind 
put  before  the  people  as  infallible,  the  mass  of  these  sj)rings 
has  been  found  to  yield  an  almost  infallible  remedy  for  the 
diseases  indicated  by  the  distinguished  chemist  named  above. 

Mungel's  Springs,  situated  nine  miles  northwest  of  Abing- 
don, has  a  fine  spring  almost  in  the  edge  of  the  Nortli  Fork 
of  Holston  River.  This  spring  yields  a  distinctly  white  sul- 
phur sediment,  with  an  arsenical  tinge.  It  has  a  high  local 
reputation  for  curative  virtues,  and,  with  proper  accommo- 
dations for  ^dsitor^,  should  command  a  good  patronage.     Its 


126  WASHINGTON  CO. — SCENERY. 

situation  is  romantic  and  picturesque  to  a  very  liigli  degree, 
"witli  a  lovely  river  flowing  through  rich  scenery,  set  in  a 
background  of  high  hills  overtopped  by  higher  mountains. 

WASHES^GTON   SPEDv^GS. 

These  springs  are  one  and  a  half  miles  north  from  Glade 
Spring  Depot,  Atlantic,  Mississippi  and  Ohio  Railroad.  Be- 
sides being  situated  in  a  lovely  spot  amid  the  mountains, 
with  extensive  views  of  noble  plains  and  the  vast  mountains 
about  the  White  Top,  its  springs  are  justly  regarded  as  dis- 
tinctly medicinal  and  of  high  curative  power.  At  these 
springs  are  found  waters  of  four  distinct  varieties,  the  most 
effective  being  an  alum-chalybeatfe  spring  near  and  east  of 
the  hotel,  and  a  white  sulphur  spring,  yielding  a  low  per- 
centage of  arsenic,  situated  in  a  lovely  spot  west  of  the  hotel. 
If  mere  curative  power  is  a  matter  of  importance,  these 
springs  may  be  ranked  among  those  most  likely  to  sustain  a 
high  reputation.  To  this  should  be  added  the  healthful  and 
beautiful  location  close  to  a  leading  line  of  important  rail- 
way. 

Mendota  has  in  its  vicinity,  in  the  Hamilton  Slates,  several 
good  sulphur  and  chalybeate  springs.  In  the  county,  at  nu- 
merous places,  are  springs  of  lesser  note,  needing  only  de- 
velopment to  prove  their  efficacy  and  value. 

SCENEEY. 

When  it  is  remembered  that  from  nearly  all  parts  of  the 
county  can  be  seen  the  White  Top  and  Balsam  Mountains, 
towering  5,500  feet  above  the  sea,  with  other  grand  moun- 
tains in  the  distance,  it  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  Washing- 
ton County  presents  every  description  of  fine  scenery.  A 
view  of  the  vast  plain  of  the  great  valley  itself,  in  its  garni- 
ture of  mountains,  is  most  beautiful  and  pleasing.     Such  of 


ARSENIC   SPRING,    WASUINUTON    SPRINGS,    WASHINGTON    CO.,    VA. 

(P.  120.) 


WASHINGTON  CO. — MANUTACTURES.  127 

the  creeks  as  lead  clown  from  the  higher  mountains,  with 
their  bright  limpid  waters  dashing  over  numerous  ledges  and 
boulders,  in  cascades  and  falls  of  a  thousand  different  forms, 
fringed  by  dark  foliage  comjoosed  of  tree  and  shrub,  present 
innumerable  pictures  at  once  romantic  and  surpassingly 
beautiful.  No  power  can  describe  'the  inimitable  view  from 
the  White  Top  Mountain.  From  this  elevated  point  the  dis- 
tant mountains  of  Kentucky  are  visible  far  to  the  northwest. 
The  serried  lines  of  the  parallel  chains  of  Virginia  mountains 
stretch  away  to  meet  the  sky,  until  tlie  view  is  lost  in  the 
azure  haze  of  the  great  distance.  To  the  south,  the  lone  and 
lofty  mountains  of  the  Unaka  Kange  relieve  all  sameness,  not 
more  by  their  isolated  grandeur,  than  their  beautiful  and  gi- 
gantic proportions. 

MANUFACTUEES. 

Washington  County  has  shown  a  fine  spirit  in  the  estab- 
lishment of  fine  woolen  mills,  so  well  calculated  to  consume 
at  home  its  own  surplus  wool,  and  much  of  that  of  the  sur- 
rounding counties.  Besides  these  woolen  factories  and  the 
large  tobacco  factories  at  Abingdon  and  Bristol-Goodson, 
there  are  no  manufactories  of  consequence.  One  mile  west  of 
Abingdon,  on  Wolf  Creek,  are  situated  the  woolen  mills  of 
J.  H.  Pepper  &  Sons,  running  one  set  of  cards,  340  spindles, 
and  4  looms,  making  jeans,  flannels,  linseys,  cassi meres,  and 
blankets.  A  regular  custom  mill,  run  by  a  Leffel's  turbine 
wheel. 

The  Bristol  Woolen  Mills,  half  a  mile  east  of  Bristol,  on 
the  Town,  or  Beaver  Creek,  runs  504  spindles  and  8  looms  by 
water  power — most  improved  48-inch  machinery — making 
linseys,  cassimcres,  jeans,  satinets,  and  blankets,  consuming 
50,000  pounds  of  wool  annually. 

It  may  not  be  out  of  our  province  to  mention  the  mills  on 
the  Tennessee  side  of  Bristol.     The  City  Woolen  Mills  are 


128       WASHINGTON  CO. — FUBNACES  AND  FORGES. 

situated  on  tlie  same  creek,  half  a  mile  west  of  Bristol, 
using  4:0-incli  machinery,  run  240  spindles  and  5  looms,  con- 
suming 100  pounds  of  wool  a  day.  Goods  of  excellent  qual- 
ity, cassimeres,  satinets,  flannels,  blankets,  shawls,  etc. ;  yarns 
card  and  spun  for  farmers.  Business  chiefly,  like  that  of  Bris- 
tol Woolen  Mills,  with  the  farmers,  in  exchange,  at  the  rate 
usually  of  one  yard  of  satinet  to  two  pounds  of  top-washed 
wool ;  cassimeres,  one  yard  for  two  and  a  half  to  three  jjounds 
of  top  wool. 

Below  these  mills,  about  one  mile,  are  the  Bristol  Cotton 
Mills,  on  the  same  stream,  992  spindles,  18  looms ;  product, 
80  bunches  of  yarn  daily,  and  650  yards  of  sheeting.  Factory 
employs  twenty-five  hands.  One  half  of  the  machinery  was 
made  by  Danforth,  of  Paterson,  N.  J.  The  new,  or  last  half, 
came  from  the  machine  works  of  Lowell,  Mass.;  appears  yery 
fine  indeed. 

At  Abingdon  is  situated  one  of  the  finest  tobacco  factories 
in  the  State.  The  quality  of  the  article  produced  bears  favor- 
able comparison  with  the  product  of  the  older  factories.  It 
was  established  in  1876,  and  now  handles  over  1,500,000 
pounds  annually.  At  Bristol-Goodson  there  is  also  a  to- 
bacco factory,  with  the  prospect  of  another  soon.  There 
are  also  at  Bristol  two  tobacco  warehouses  handling  about 
1,000,000  pounds  of  leaf — possibly  100,000  pounds  of  chew- 
ing and  smoking  tobacco.  At  Abingdon  the  tobacco  ware- 
houses are  the  Greenway,  Snow,  and  Holston  factories,  to 
which  has  just  been  added  another. 

FURNACES  AND  FORGES. 

Washington  County  has  now  no  iron  furnaces  in  operation. 
There  is  a  good  forge  of  700  pounds  capacity,  situated  near 
the  mouth  of  Wolf  Creek,  on  the  south  bank  of  the  South 
Fork  of  Holston  Paver,  which  runs  chiefly  on  magnetic  ore 
of  that  vicinity,  not  now  in  blast. 


WASHINGTON  CO. — BEISTOL.  129 

TOWNS   AND   VILLAGES. 

Abingdon,  the  county  site,  -vrith  a  population  of  1,700,  is 
one  of  the  oldest  towns  west  of  the  Blue  Ridge.  Its  situ- 
ation is  pleasant  if  not  beautiful,  haying  many  attractive 
features  about  it. 

Its  two  fine  female  colleges,  handsomely  situated,  add  much 
to  the  attractiveness  of  the  place.  Abingdon,  besides  these 
schools,  has  a  spacious  court-house  in  which  is  held,  not  only 
the  county  and  circuit  courts  of  the  commonwealth,  but  the 
circuit  court  of  the  United  States  for  the  large  district  of 
which  Abingdon  is  nearly  the  geographical  center.  Here  are 
also  churches  of  nearly  all  denominations,  three  well-kept 
hotels,  a  good  livery  stable,  numerous  stores,  dealing  in  every 
description  of  merchandise,  medicine,  stationery,  etc.  There 
are  tanneries,  establishments  for  the  manufacture  and  rej)air 
of  wagons,  harness,  smith  shops,  etc.  This  town  being  situ- 
ated nearly  in  the  center  of  the  county,  on  the  Atlantic, 
Mississippi  and  Ohio  Railroad,  commands  a  considerable 
trade,  not  only  from  the  county  of  Washington,  but  from  sur- 
rounding counties  in  Virginia,  Tennessee,  and  North  Caro- 
lina. Among  Abingdon's  chief  institutions  are  her  two  en- 
terprising weekly  public  prints,  The  Standard  and  The 
Virginian. 

BRISTOL. 

Bristol  is  a  town  of  4,000  inhabitants  lying  in  the  States 
of  Virginia  and  Tennessee,  at  the  western  terminus  of  the 
Atlantic,  Mississippi  and  Ohio  Railroad  ;  its  Virginia  portion 
being  usually  known  by  the  name  of  Goodson. 

It  is  a  town  of  quite  recent  origin,  dating  back  to  about 
1858.  Bristol  is  the  center  of  quite  a  manufacturing  district ; 
besides  the  woolen,  cotton,  and  tobacco  factories  enumerated 
above,  it  has  quite  an  extensive  machinery  for  facilitating 
carpenter's  work. 


130  WASHINGTON  CO. — BUENA  VISTA. 

Its  enterprising,  citizens  have  made  Bristol  tlie  center  of  a 
large  and  growing  tobacco  trade ;  in  fact  there  is  no  branch  of 
industry  left  neglected.  The  various  newspapers  jDublished 
there,  of  which  there  are  two  or  more,  have  been  very  efficient 
in  building  up  the  place,  though  it  has  not  had  such  a  magical 
growth  as  most  of  Western  towns.  Its  hotels  are  sufficient  in 
number  and  attractiveness  to  be  efficient  aids  in  the  develop- 
ment of  the  place.  The  stores  of  all  kinds  of  merchandise, 
attractive  watch-making  establishments,  presided  over  by  the 
best  talent  in  the  country,  together  with  churches  of  various 
denominations,  make  Bristol  a  place  of  note  in  the  surround- 
ing country. 

GLADE   SPRING. 

This  name  applies  to  two  places  near  each  other.  Glade 
Spring  Depot,  at  the  south  terminus  of  the  Saltville  Branch 
Railroad,  taking  its  name  from  Old  Glade  Sjiring,  which  is 
situated  two  miles  to  the  south  on  the  old  stage  road. 

Glade  Spring  Depot  is  an  inviting  looking  place,  with  most 
of  its  houses  built  in  good  style  and  freshly  j>ainted.  Its 
good  hotel  helps  to  render  it  a  desirable  place  to  spend  the 
hot  summer  months.  The  cool  vine-covered  veranda,  good 
table,  and  cleanly  rooms  will  be  remembered  by  many  who 
have  partaken  of  its  comforts.  This  place  has  some  trade, 
chiefly  with  the  southern  part  of  the  county,  Tennessee,  and 
North  Carolina.  It  is  supplied,  like  nearly  all  the  towns,  vil- 
lages, and  hamlets  of  Southwestern  Virginia,  with  Masonic  or 
Odd  Fellows  lodges,  or  both. 

BUENA  VISTA. 

Bnena  Vista  is  in  that  part  of  the  Saltville  Basin  extending 
into  "Washington  County.  It  is  from  its  mills  that  the  excel- 
lent article  of  plaster  known  as  Buena  Vista  plaster  comes. 


WASHINGTON  CO. — FISH  CULTUKE.  131 

EMORY.  « 

Emory  is  tlie  noted  station,  on  the  Atlantic,  Mississippi  and 
Oliio  Railroad,  for  Emory  and  Henry  College,  tlirougli  the 
grounds  of  which  college  the  railroad  passes. 

On  this  railroad  west  of  Abingdon  are  Wallaces  and  Mont- 
gomery s,  two  points  that  bid  fair,  at  some  day,  to  become 
trading  places  of  some  note. 

Meiidota  is  a  village  on  the  north  side  of  North  Holston 
River,  important  on  account  of  its  good  school,  besides  hav- 
ing some  trade  with  the  neighboring  country. 

Greendale,  Friendsliip,  and  Mock's  Mill  are  places  of  some 
note  in  the  county. 

LINES   OF  TRANSPORTATION. 

The  Atlantic,  Mississippi  and  Ohio  Railroad  passes 
through  the  heart  of  the  county,  in  one  of  the  great  through 
lines  from  New  York  to  New  Orleans.  From  Glade  Spring 
starts  the  Saltville  branch  of  the  Atlantic,  Mississippi  and 
Ohio  Railroad,  nine  miles  to  Saltville.  From  Bristol  to  Cum- 
berland Gap  is  now  being  constructed  a  narrow-gauge  railroad 
— known  as  the  Bristol  Coal  and  Iron  Railroad — by  the  Tin- 
salia  Coal  and  Iron  Company,  the  object  of  which  is  to  bring 
Bristol  and  connections  in  communication  with  the  vast  beds 
of  coal  and  iron  along  the  route  of  the  proposed  road. 

Washington  County  will  also  derive  a  proportionate  advan- 
tage from  the  construction  of  the  Saltville  and  Coal  Mine 
Railroad,  the  route  for  which  is  now  being  surveyed. 

Both  forks  of  Holston  River  might  be  determined,  upon  a 
close  examination,  to  be  susceptible  of  being  made  navigable. 

fish  culture. 

Some  gentlemen  of  the  county  are  taking  quite  an  interest 
in  the  propagation  of  fine  varieties  of  fish.     The  Gorman  carp 


132  WASHINGTON  CO. — EDUCATION. 

seems  to  be  a  favorite.  No  doubt  the  State  Commission  will 
take  the  waters  of  the  Holston  under  its  special  care  soon. 
Bee  culture  is  an  industry  of  great  local  value,  as  evidenced 
by  the  interest  taken  in  different  improved  hives.  Grape 
culture  in  varieties  for  home  use  is  carried  to  considerable 
perfection. 

ANNUAL  SUEPLUS  OF  CATTLE,  SHEEP,  WHEAT,  CORN,  TOBACCO,  ETC. 

Fat  cattle,  2,500  head. 

Stock  cattle,  5,400  head. 

Sheep,  9,300  head. 

Wheat,  G0,000  bushels. 

Corn,  1,000  bushels. 

Oats,  5,000  bushels. 

Leaf  tobacco,  465,500  pounds  shipped. 

Manufactured  tobacco,  130,000  pounds  from  Abingdon,  and 
about  the  same  quantity  from  Bristol-Goodson  Factory. 

Staves,  3,362,000  pounds. 

It  is  almost  impossible  to  get  at  the  exact  number  of  cattle 
and  sheep  in  any  county ;  but  the  above  estimate,  made  from 
different  sources,  may  be  said  to  give  reliable  figures. 

EDUCATION. 

Much  to  the  credit  of  the  citizens  of  the  county  the  sub- 
ject of  education  has  always  been  one  of  great  importance, 
and  has  fully  succeeded  in  engaging  their  attention  to  good 
effect. 

Outside  of  the  public  schools  there  are  no  less  than  five 
permanent  colleges  and  schools,  four  of  which  are  institutions 
chartered  to  grant  diplomas  for  a  full  course  of  scholastic 
learning. 

Emory  and  Henry  College  is  the  principal  male  college, 


WASHINGTON   CO.— MAETHA  WASHINGTON  COLLEGE.  133 

and  Martlia  "Washington  College  and  Stonewall  Jackson  Fe- 
male Institute,  both  of  Abingdon,  are  female  colleges  of  high 
merit. 

EMORY  AND  HENRY  COLLEGE, 

Situated  twelve  miles  east  of  Abingdon,  on  the  Atlantic, 
Mississippi  and  Ohio  Railroad,  was  established  under  au- 
thority of  the  State,  in  the  year  1838.  It  has  had  quite 
a  successful  history  in  the  past,  some  of  the  most  distin- 
guished men  of  the  country  having  been  students  there.  With 
an  excellent  faculty  now,  and  fine  facilities  for  education,  it 
is  entitled  to  a  large  and  growing  patronage.  The  grounds 
and  buildings,  laid  out  with  great  skill  for  the  objects  aimed 
at,  have  been  brought  in  the  course  of  over  forty  years  to  a 
high  state  of  beauty  as  well  as  adaptation  to  the  j^urposes  in 
view.  It  has  a  very  attractive  feature,  also,  in  a  fine  farm  of 
over  300  acres.  From  the  beauty,  convenience,  and  perfec- 
tion of  this  college,  in  all  its  appointments,  we  are  led  almost 
irresistibly  to  advocate  still  further  the  views  set  forth  in 
the  treatment  of  the  County  of  Montgomery — namely,  that 
Emory  should  be  secured  by  the  State,  and  turned  into  the 
Agricultural  and  Mechanical  College,  combining  the  excellent 
faculties  of  these  two  institutions,  and  using  the  buildings  at 
Blacksburg  for  the  purposes  indicated  in  the  remarks  on  that 
part  of  Montgomery  County. 

"Without  going  more  into  detail  in  the  description  of  Emory 
and  Henry  College,  the  subject  may  be  dismissed  with  the 
hope  that  the  excellent  and  convenient  location  of  the  col- 
lege, its  fine  faculty,  and  the  really  beautiful  arrangements 
of  its  buildings  in  a  place  of  great  natural  beauty  and  health- 
fulness  may  bring  it  a  prosperous  future. 

MARTHA    WASHINGTON   COLLEGE 

Was  established  at  Abingdon,  previous  to  1861,  to  be  a  col- 
lege, of  high  grade  for  young   ladies.     It  is  generally   be- 


134  GILES   COUNTY. 

lieved  to  fully  meet  the  expectations  entertained  of  it  by  its 
friends. 

Its  faculty  is  liiglily  recommended  by  the  most  experienced 
talent  in  that  line  in  the  State,  and  it  is  fair  to  presume  that 
this  institution  is  justly  entitled  to  high  commendation. 

It  occupies  a  beautiful  and  tasteful  building  surrounded  by 
admirable  grounds  in  the  old  town  of  Abingdon. 

STONEWALL  JACKSON  FEMALE   INSTITUTE 

Is  also  situated  in  Abingdon,  with  grounds  and  buildings  that 
should  alone  speak  volumes  in  its  favor.  It  was  established 
subsequent  to  1865.  Its  history  has  been  a  record  of  a  de- 
gree of  success  which  its  friends  could  hardly  have  hoped 
for  it.  Its  name,  its  painstaking  faculty,  and  fine  situation, 
should  enable  it  to  command  a  growing  patronage. 

SuUin's  Institute  of  Bristol,  though  just  over  the  line  in 
the  State  of  Tennessee,  is  regarded  almost  as  a  Virginian 
institution.  It  has  been  very  largely  patronized  by  young 
ladies  from  Yirginia,  and  bids  fair  to  have  a  very  successful 
future.  The  same  may  be  said  of  King's  College,  likewise 
located  at  Bristol.  Mendota  High  School  for  Boys  and  Girls 
is  regarded  as  one  of  the  best  schools  of  its  kind  in  that 
section.  It  has  had,  hitherto,  great  success,  and  has  drawn 
pupils  from  quite  a  distance. 

There  are  other  excellent  schools  in  different  parts  of  the 
county,  besides  which  are  the  usual  number  of  public  schools 
throughout  the  county,  now  reported  by  the  Superintendent 
of  Public  Education  as  increasing  in  efficiency. 

GILES  COUNTY. 

It  is  rare  that  nature  repeats  such  a  combination  of  fine 
ores  in  veins  and  deposits,  mineral  waters,  superior  grass 
and  grain  lands,  together  with  noble  forest,  river,  and  lake 


GILES   CO. — HOW  BOUNDED.  135 

scenery,    as    is    presented   in   tlie   area    coTered    by    Giles 
County. 

Tlie  great  mountain  cliains,  whicli  may  be  said  to  occupy 
tlie  southwestern  prolongation  of  the  Alleghany  Range,  are 
here  broken  in  two,  and  apparently  swept  back,  like  the 
stately  and  beautiful  structures  which  form  the  sides  of  a 
13air  of  gates  incomparably  great  in  size  and  architecture.  In 
the  great  basin  formed  by  this  vast  opening  is  the  heart  of 
the  county :  green  fields  and  forest-covered  hills,  threaded 
through  the  center  by  the  beautiful  and  rapid  New  Paver  ;  a 
stream  buttressed  half  its  length  by  lofty  cliffs  of  limestone, 
carved  out,  in  the  course  of  time,  into  such  shapes  as  to  lift 
the  scenery  along  it  out  of  the  mere  common^^lace,  and  ele- 
vating it  into  the  beautiful,  not  to  say  the  sublime. 

To  its  other  more  notable  features,  Giles  County  adds  the 
highly  important  one  of  being  the  great  gateway  of  all  the 
projected  lines  of  railway,  both  leading  from  the  Virginia 
seaboard  toward  the  great  west,  and  from  north  to  south. 
In  this  particular  this  county  is  peculiar,  seeming  to  oc- 
cupy a  position  which  brings  it  within  an  air  line  for  four 
different  east  and  west  railroad  lines,  and  for  two  from  north 
to  south. 

To  do  justice  to  this  noble  county,  in  the  space  here  allot- 
ted to  it,  .is  an  impossibility.  Indeed  it  is  a  question, 
whether  or  not  any  description  could  be  written  adequate 
to  the  just  claims  of  this  county  to  pre-eminence,  considered 
in  all  its  features  actual  and  possible. 

HOW   BOUNDED. 

Giles  County  is  now  one  of  the  border  counties  of  Virginia; 
its  northern  neighbors  being  the  counties  of  Monroe  and 
Mercer,  in  West  Virginia,  separated  from  Giles  by  the  great 
iron-bearing  mountain  range  known  as  Peter's  and  East 
River  Mountains. 


136  GILES  CO. — NOTABLE   PHYSICAL  FEATUKES. 

West,  it  is  bounded  by  the  county  of  Bland,  Va.,  east,  by 
Craig  County,  Ya.,  and  south  by  the  counties  of  Montgomery 
and  Pulaski,  two  of  the  important  counties  treated  in  this 
volume. 

HOW    WATERED. 

The  whole  area  of  the  county  is  well  watered  by  New 
Biver,  flowing  through  the  middle  of  the  county,  from  south 
to  north,  and  several  of  its  larger  tributaries,  such  as  Big  and 
Little  Stony,  Sinking  and  Doe  Creeks,  on  the  east  side,  and 
"Wolf  and  Walker's  Creeks,  with  minor  tributaries,  on  the 
west  side.  Little  Stony  Creek  has  for  its  source  the  cele- 
brated mountain  lake  on  the  top  of  Salt  Pond  Mountain, 
4,000  feet  above  sea  level. 

NOTABLE    PHYSICAL   FEATURES. 

As  before  remarked,  the  northern  boundary  line  is  marked 
by  Peter's  and  East  Biver  Mountains,  really  continuations  of 
each  other,  Peter's  Mountain  being  to  the  northeast  of  New 
Biver,  and  East  Biver  Mountain  to  the  southwest,  in  the 
same  line.  Next  toward  the  central  part  of  the  county  is  the 
lofty  and  beautiful  Angel's  Best,  about  4,000  feet  above  sea 
level ;  opposite  to  which,  on  the  northeast  side  of  the  river, 
is  the  Butte  Mountain,  of  the  same  general  elevation.  Flank- 
ing this  latter  on  the  south  is  the  Salt  Pond  Mountain,  with 
its  bald  knob  towering  nearly  5,000  feet  above  the  sea ;  the 
northwestern  face  of  this  high  knob  being  washed  by  the 
crystal  waters  of  Mountain  Lake,  no  less  remarkable  for  its 
beauty  and  elevated  position  in  the  top  of  a  high  mountain 
than  for  the  fact  of  its  recent  origin. 

The  Salt  Pond  Mountain,  on  the  northeast,  seems  to 
answer  in  position  to  the  Sugar  Bun  Mountain,  on  the  south- 
west side  ;  leaving  between  them,  as  well  as  between  An- 
gel's Best  and  Butte  Mountain,  six  or  eight,  or  more  miles 


GILES  CO. — GEOLOGY. 


137 


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East  River  (&  Peters  Mns. 
Bu  ^khorn  &  Little  Mtns. 
Wolf  Creek 


><^A  Wolf  Creek  Mountain  (w-clm:) 

"^rri^yj  pfiAKisBURG 

"    g  i&#|/i  \Butte  Mountain  (b.m._) 
'  I  iiW  I 'Angels  Best  (a.  r.  ) 

if  I    . 

^*^  Pearls  Mountain  (p.m.^ 


^^< 


Flat  TopMtn.  (f.t.m.) 


Sfilt  Pond  Mln.  (s.vj[.) 
untain  Lake, 

Bald  Knot)  {p.  K.) 
Suhar  RunMtn.  (s.blh,) 


Poplat  Hill 
WalkcV's  Creek 
)  Ghinea  Mtn. 


Bu 


■keye  &  Spruce  Hun  Mtns. 


Walker's  Mtn. 


138  GILES   CO. — GEOLOGY. 

of  limestone  grass  lands,  divided  in  tlie  middle  by  New 
Eiver. 

Toward  tlie  soutliern  side  of  the  county  are  the  impor- 
tant iron-bearing  parallel  series,  composed  of  Spruce,  John's 
Creek,  and  Gap  Mountains  on  the  northeast  side  of  New 
Kiver,  and  Buckeye,  Guinea  Mountain,  and  Walker's  Moun- 
tain on  the  southwest  side  of  the  river.  Gap  Mountain 
and  Walker's  Mountain  answering  to  each  other  in  line  of 
continuation. 

Angel's  Eest  Mountain  is  but  the  northeastern  terminus 
and  culmination  of  the  great  iron-bearing  ridges  of  Wolf 
Creek  Mountain,  Pearis  Mountain,  and  Flat  Top ;  to  the  im- 
portance of  which  the  reader's  attention  will  presently  be 
called. 

GEOLOGY. 

The  geology  of  Giles  County  rocks  is  comprised  between 
the  Upper  Calciferous  limestones,  and  the  Hamilton  Black 
Slates,  inclusive.  In  the  latter  are  sometimes  found  two  or 
three  inches  of  impure  bituminous  coal,  creating  the  impres- 
sion in  the  minds  of  the  uninitiated  that  there  are  valuable 
beds  of  coal  close  under  the  surface  ;  but  this  hope  will  not 
be  realized. 

To  properly  illustrate  the  geology,  there  should  be  drawn 
several  sections  across  the  country,  from  northwest  to  south- 
east ;  but  it  is  hoped  that  the  section  here  given  will  be 
ample  to  show  the  positions  of  the  various  strata  relative  to 
each  other,  as  well  as  their  general  position,  dip,  etc. 

Beginning  at  the  southern  or  southeastern  end  of  the  sec- 
tion,  the  rocks  of  the  Oneida  series  are  first  encountered, 
dipping  southeastwardly,  at  angles  varying  between  30^  and 
60°,  and  occupying  a  position  nearly  in  the  heart  of  Walker's 
and  Gap  Mountains ;  being  on  the  extreme  southern  bound- 
ary line  they  dip  at  once  out  of  the  county,  just  here. 


GILES  CO. — GEOLOGY.  139 

Next  to  tlie  nortli  of,  but  under  the  Oneida,  are  tlie  vari- 
ously  colored  rocks,  highly  impregnated  with  lime,  belong- 
ing to  the  Hudson  series,  nearly  1,000  feet  thick ;  next  to  the 
north,  the  outcrop  of  some  of  the  Trenton  limestones,  850 
feet  thick  about.  Here  a  fault  or  great  plication  is  encoun- 
tered at  the  northern  base  of  Walker's  Mountain,  and,  at  the 
south  base  of  Buckeye  Mountain,  the  Oriskany  rocks  are  en- 
countered, about  sixty  feet  thick,  showing  six  to  eight  feet  of 
fine  brown  ore,  both  in  Buckeye  and  Spruce  Kun  Mountains ; 
then  north  of  this  the  red  sandstones  and  ores  of  the  Clin- 
ton ;  then  the  Oneida,  bounded  on  the  nortli  by  the  Hudson 
series  again,  with  its  various  colored  limestones,  based  on 
thirty  feet  of  fine  variegated  marble,  somewhat  similar  to 
Tennessee  .marble ;  then  the  Trenton,  500  feet  thick,  gradu- 
ally losing  its  steep  angle  of  dip  as  you  near  the  great  basin 
in  the  heart  of  Giles  County,  and  becoming,  for  considerable 
distances,  almost  horizontal.  Near  the  bottom  of  the  Trenton 
rocks,  if  not  in  the  division  between  them  and  the  Calcifer- 
ous  series,  is  the  position  of  the  famous  Giles  County  semi- 
magnetic  red  iron  ore. 

This  vein  of  ore  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  ever  en- 
countered. It  has  been  a  source  of  much  speculation  in  the 
minds  of  scientific  men,  and  is  yet,  in  the  estimation  of 
many,  an  undetermined  problem.  It  deserves  a  chapter  to 
itself,  and  will  receive  more  full  notice  further  on. 

Pursuing  the  section  northwardly,  you  begin  to  ascend  out 
of  the  Trenton  into  the  Hudson  series,  showing  in  the  base 
of  Angel's  Rest  Mountain,  as  well  as  in  a  corresponding  posi- 
tion in  Butte  and  Salt  Pond  Mountains.  This  is  then  over- 
laid in  regular  order  l)y  the  Oneida,  Medina,  witli  the  Clin- 
ton capping  the  summits  of  these  last-named  mountains  ;  ex- 
cepting some  very  large  areas,  which  have  also  the  interven- 
ing rocks  up  to  the  Oriskany,  inclusive.  In  these  last-named 
mountains,  as  will  be   observed  in   the   section  in  Angel's 


140  GILES  CO. — mON  ORES. 

Eest,  the  rocks  dip  gently  toward  the  center  of  the  moun- 
tain. 

Leaving  these  great  mountains,  going  north  there  is  a  dis- 
location about  the  line  of  Wolf  and  Big  Stony  Creeks,  and 
you  then  encounter  the  steeper  dips  on  the  south  faces  of 
Buckhorn,  East  River,  and  Peter's  Mountains,  and  their 
flanking  south-lying  ridges.  In  these  all  the  rocks  from  the 
Hamilton  Black  Slates  to  the  Oneida,  inclusive,  are  found, 
dipping  southwardly  at  angles  varying  between  35°  and  60°. 

The  writer  here,  in  closing  the  geological  description  of 
Giles,  j)ays  a  justly  deserved  tribute  to  the  fine  discrimina- 
tion shown  by  Peof.  Wm.  B.  PiOGERS  while  in  charge  of  the 
geological  survey  of  Virginia.  All  subsequent  work  has 
proven  him  correct  to  a  degree  surprising  for  the  small 
amount  of  development  at  the  time  of  his  explorations. 

IRON  ORES. 

The  iron  ores  of  Giles  County  may  be  divided  into  three 
general  classes,  as  follows  :  The  Semi-magnetic  Bed,  the 
Fossil  Bed,  and  the  Brown  Ores  or  Limonites.  The  semi- 
magnetic  red  ores  showing  at  Johnson's,  Chapman's,  and 
Pack's,  on  and  near  New  Eiver,  occupy  a  position,  as  men- 
tioned above,  nearly  at  the  junction  of  the  Calciferous  and 
Trenton  limestones,  possibly  just  between  the  Black  Eiver 
and  Trenton  sub-epochs.  At  Johnson's,  on  the  river,  the 
deposit  has  been  very  well  explored,  and  found  to  give  a 
thickness  there  of  over  fifty  feet  in  different  seams.  A  few 
hundred  yards  up  the  river  from  this  point  the  New  Eiver 
Eailroad  Company,  with  the  diamond  drill,  has  ascertained  its 
continuity  beyond  conjecture,  finding  nearly  100  feet  of  ore 
in  a  little  over  350  feet,  some  of  the  seams  attaining  a  thick- 
ness of  18  feet. 

But  the  strata  in  which  this  ore  is  contained  show  very 
distinctly  near  Newport,  at  Payne's,  twelve  miles  away  from 


GILES  CO.— mON  ORES.  141 

Jolinson's  and  Cliapman's,  at  Moser's,  and  at  tlie  montli  of  Big 
Stony  Creek  ;  then  on  tlie  west  side  of  the  river,  besides 
Pack's,  at  Dill's,  Jordan's  near  Dill's,  Wood's,  Eaton's,  near 
Wabash  Camp  Ground.  All  these  latter  places  occupy  a 
position  in  the  rim  of  a  great  basin,  having  its  greatest  de- 
pression near  Johnson's  or  Chapman's  Ferry.  Again  this 
same  stratification  shows  along  the  south  side  of  Wolf  Creek, 
on  the  lower  slopes  of  Wolf  Creek  Mountain,  and  around  the 
northern  base  of  Angel's  Kest  Mountain,  under  which  moun- 
tain the  whole  stratification  lies  in  its  original  strength.  It 
is  a  peculiar  vein.  Among  its  more  noticeable  peculiar- 
ities is  its  being  cut  out,  now  and  then,  by  slaty  material 
sometimes  highly  charged  with  iron ;  that  is,  it  is  really 
replaced  in  the  walls  by  slates,  and  sometimes  by  chert. 
The  ore  is  usually  of  slaty  structure,  of  tabular  form  some- 
times, generally  though  lozenge  or  rhombus  shaped.  It 
may  be  submitted  that,  in  the  hearts  of  the  hills  and  below 
water,  the  ore  has  not  been  replaced  by  any  other  material, 
and  may  there  be  regarded  as  much  more  regular  and  reli- 
able, as  has  been  proven  by  the  drill.  It  is  true  that  this 
vein  sometimes  shows  red  and  brown  ores  accompanying  the 
more  magnetic;  but  this  is  only  due,  very  probably,  to  local 
causes.  The  general  stratification  in  which  it  occurs  is 
marked  above  by  felspathic  chert  10  feet  thick,  which  oc- 
cupies a  position  about  75  feet  above.  Below  it  occasional 
lumps  of  baryta  are  found. 

This  remarkable  stratification  dips  under  Angel's  Rest, 
Pearis's  and  Wolf  Creek  Mountains  ;  on  the  other  side  of  the 
river  it  disappears  under  Butte  and  Salt  Pond  Mountains, 
while  toward  the  south  side  of  the  county  it  goes  under 
Buckeye  and  Spruce  Ilun  Mountains. 

It  may  not  be  uninteresting  to  state  that  at  Johnson's, 
below  Chapman's  Ferry,  the  exposures  made  show  a  section 
of  the  vein's  area  220  feet  by  170  feet  by  an  average  thick- 


142  GILES   CO. — rOSSIL  RED    IRON   OEE. 

ness  of  eleven  feet.  Taking  the  ore  to  weigli  280  pounds  to 
the  cubic  foot,  we  have  here,  practically  in  sight,  of  this 
famous  ore  about  51,500  tons.  The  surface  outcroppings,  as 
described  above,  lead  to  the  conclusion  that  there  are  many 
repetitions  of  the  section  showing  at  Johnson's,  though  at 
that  point  the  trough  of  the  basin  is  below  water  level. 
An  analysis  by  Dr.  F.  A.  Genth  is  as  follows : 

Moisture 0.12  per  cent. 

Silicic  acid  1.83 

Titanic    "    none. 

Phosphoric  acid none. 

Sulphuric       "       0.05  per  cent. 

Magnetic  oxide  of  iron 71.36         " 

Ferric  oxide 26.52 

Alumina trace. 

Magnesia 0.07  per  cent. 

Lime 0.05 

100.00 

Metallic  iron 70.238  per  cent. 

(Signed)  F.  A.  Genth. 

Fossil  Bed  Iron  Ore. 

The  Clinton  or  Dyestone  series  in  which  this  ore  is  con- 
tained, together  with  the  Medina,  measures  about  200  feet ; 
but  the  fine  ore  is  n'ever,  in  this  county,  over  three  feet  thick. 

Pearis's  Mountain,  Wolf  Creek  Mountain,  Flat  Top,  Sugar 
Eun,  East  Eiver,  Buckhorn,  and  Buckeye  Mountains,  west  of 
New  River,  and  Peter's,  Little,  Butte,  Salt  Pond,  Spruce 
Eun,  and  John's  Creek  Mountains,  east  of  New  Eiver,  are  its 
localities.  It  may  be  said  to  possess  the  same  general  char- 
acter all  over  the  county  where  it  is  found.  It  has  a  fine 
development  both  in  Flat  Top,  Buckhorn,  and  East  Eiver 


GILES  CO. — FOSSIL  RED   lEON  ORE.  143 

Mountains,  in  its  walls  of  red  sandstone,  standing  at  right 
angles,  and  generally  from  800  to  1,000  feet  above  water  level 
at  its  outcrop?.  Its  quantity,  estimating  the  average  thick- 
ness of  the  best  ore  at  18  inches,  would  be  greater  than  that 
of  all  other  ores  combined  in  the  county,  from  its  great 
regularity  and  continuity. 

Some  fragments  of  this  ore  found  in  the  great  mountain 
area  west  of  the  Angel's  Best  are  very  beautiful  as  cabinet 
specimens ;  frequently  a  perfect  shell  will  be  found  petrified 
in  specular  ore  of  the  brightest  silvery  luster.  Generally 
the  fossils  are  small,  flattened,  and  lenticular  shaped,  mingled 
with  small  rounded  pebbles. 

Two  analyses,  as  rendered  from  fossil  ores  taken  in  East 
Eiver  and  Flat  Top  Mountains,  are  as  follows : 

East  River  Mountain  Ore. 

Metallic  iron 50.36 

(Signed)  Prof.  Fesquit. 

Flat  Top  Mountain  Ore.     {Fossil  Bed.) 

Sesquioxide  of  iron 58.12 

Oxide  of  manganese 0.06 

Alumina 4.66 

Lime 0.20 

Magnesia 0.41 

Potassa  and  soda 0.40 

Silica 32.74 

Sulpliuric  acid 0.00 

Phosphoric  acid 0.75 

Water,  hygroscopic 0.60 

Water,  combined 0.96 

Organic  matter 0.84 

(Signed)  H.  Dickinson, 

Norivood,  Mass. 


144  GILES   CO. — BKOWN  IKON   OEES. 

Broivn  Iron  Ores. 

The  quantity  of  Brown  Iron  Ore  above  water  level  in  Giles 
County  would  be  very  difficult  to  approximate.  That  it  is  ex- 
ceedingly abundant  no  one  would  doubt  who  could  see  the 
great  Chestnut  Flat  Deposits,  the  ore  banks  from  which  the 
John's  Mountain  Furnace,  near  Newport,  derives  its  ores,  as 
well  as  many  other  notable  places  in  the  county.  The  most 
conspicuous  and  valuable  beds  are  found  in  the  Oriskany 
rocks  in  Wolf  Creek  Mountain,  East  Eiver,  Buckhorn,  Pe- 
ter's, Flat  Top,  Sugar  Kun,  Buckeye,  Butte,  Salt  Pond, 
John's  Creek,  and  Spruce  Kun  Mountains,  and  their  second- 
ary or  derivative  deposits  on  such  creeks  as  Big  Stony,  etc. 

This  ore  constitutes  about  ten  per  cent,  of  the  rocks  com- 
posing the  Oriskany  measures,  which  are  generally  from  thirty 
to  sixty  feet  thick  throughout  the  localities  above  named. 
The  Chestnut  Flat  ore  is  really  red  when  crushed.  It  is  al- 
tered from  a  brown  ore.  This  is  amply  proven  by  following 
the  same  measures  a  short  distance  either  way,  when  the  ore 
is  found  to  resume  its  character  as  a  brown  ore. 

Chestnut  Flat,  with  its  fine  showing  of  ore  on  the  crest  of 
"Wolf  Creek  Mountain,  about  three  and  a  half  miles,  air  line, 
southwest  from  the  narrows  of  New  River,  is  one  of  the  most 
remarkable  places  in  Virginia.  This  singularly  fine  ore  is 
thrown  up  over  a  distance  of  about  three  hundred  yards  in  an 
almost  solid  body,  but  extends  less  conspicuously  many  hun- 
dreds of  feet  further. 

It  will  probably  yield  300,000  tons,  just  at  this  point,  of  an 
ore  which  analyzes  as  follows  : 

Sesquioxide  of  iron 89.G5  =  Metallic  iron,  63.755. 

Oxide  of  manganese 0. 20 

Silica 2.58 

Alumina 1.11 

Lime 0.20 


GILES   CO. — BEOWN   lEON  OKES.  145 

Magnesia 0.15  ^ 

Sulphuric  acid 0.37 

Phosphoric  acid 0.30 

Water,  hygroscopic 1.25 

"Water,  combined 4. 10 

(Signed)        H.  Dickinson", 

Norwood,  Mass. 

Following  this  same  lead  westwardly  about  one  and  a  half 
miles,  along  the  south  face  of  Wolf  Creek  Mountain,  looking 
down  upon  No  Business  Creek,  another  very  extensive  deposit 
is  encountered,  nearly  if  not  quite  as  great  in  quantity  as 
that  at  Chestnut  Flat. 

This  ore  is  a  brown  ore,  giving  the  following  analysis  by 
the  same  chemist : 

Sesquioxide  of  iron 86.17  =  Met.  iron,  G0.G69. 

Oxide  of  manganese 07 

Alumina 69 

Lime .« 14 

Magnesia 06 

Silica 2.10 

Sulphuric  acid 33 

Phosphoric  acid 46 

Water,  combined 8. 01 

Water,  hygroscopic 1.10 

(Signed)        H.  Dickinson. 

Again,  about  three  miles  almost  directly  south  of  this,  ores 
of  the  Oriskany  show  in  the  south  face  of  Flat  Top  Mountain, 
overlooking  Dismal  Creek,  being  the  same  from  which  the 
Walker's  Creek  Forgo  once  obtained  its  supplies  of  ores. 

This  ore  assays  as  follows  : 

Sesquioxide  of  iron 80.17  =  50.119,  Met  iron. 

Protoxide  of  iron 57 

10 


146  GILES   CO. — BROWN  IRON   ORES. 

Silica 5.13 

Alumina 2.04 

Lime 47 

Magnesia 14 

Oxide  of  manganese 90 

Sulphuric  acid 02 

Phosjihoric  acid 84 

Water,  hygroscopic 1.60 

Water,  combined 7.94 

(Signed)        H.  Dickinson. 

Several  other  places  on  Dismal  Creek  give  this  ore  in  vast 
quantities,  particularly  toward  the  head  of  the  creek,  where 
the  material  has  not  been  so  abraded  and  carried  away- 
through  the  action  of  the  elements.  No  doubt  the  most  con- 
vincing argument  respecting  its  quantity  would  be  for  the 
curious  or  the  doubting  to  visit  these  beds.  Exact  measures 
are  sujierfluous  where  nature  has  been  so  lavish. 

Another  prominent  locality  of  this  Oriskany  pre  is  in  the 
end  of  the  south  flank  of  Peter's  Mountain,  looking  down  upon 
the  Narrows  of  New  River.  It  is  supposed  by  some  experts 
that  there  are  here  about  100,000  tons  of  the  ore  practically 
in  sight.  Its  analysis  shows  it  high  in  metallic  iron,  and  low 
in  phosphorus. 

In  Spruce  Run  Mountain,  west  of  Newport,  and  in  Buckeye 
Mountain,  the  solid  ore  is  six  feet  thick,  running  for  great  dis- 
tances, that  is,  almost  continuously.  Occasionally  the  ore  is 
eight  feet  thick  between  walls  of  sandstone. 

At  Dowdy's,  Mill's,  Refiner's,  etc.,  you  find  the  eastern  pro- 
longation of  the  Spruce  Eun  veins.  These  ores  may  be  seen 
at  the  furnace,  above  Newport,  on  Sinking  Creek. 

Again,  brown  ores  show  us  probably  the  result  of  decom- 
posed pyrites  in  the  edge  of  W^olf  Creek,  near  Shumate's 
house  and  mill — vein  perhaps  five  feet  thick  between  ledges 


GILES   CO. — MANGANESE.  1^:7 

of  limestone — at  Bolton's,  up  Big  Stony  Creek,  at  points  on 
Guinea  Mountain,  and  numerous  other  places  in  Giles  County, 
to  which  the  above  enumerated  may  be  considered  as  merely 
introductory. 

MANGANESE. 

Manganese  ores  seem  to  be  confined  almost  exclusively  to 
the  Oriskany  measures.  In  fact,  the  iron  ore  of  those  rocks 
frequently  gives  way  almost  entirely  to  oxide  of  manganese. 

At  one  point  in  these  rocks  on  Flat  Top  Mountain,  near  the 
line  between  Giles  and  Bland  counties,  the  ore  was  found  in 
great  purity,  giving  the  following  measures,  etc.:  Trend  north 
70""  east,  dip  60'  north  20^  west,  containing  valuable  quanti- 
ties of  manganese  disseminated  heavily  through  sandstone, 
five  hundred  yards  in  length,  gradually  becoming  impregnated 
with  iron  as  you  approach  the  eastern  end.  The  apparent 
width  of  the  ore  strata  is  here  extraordinary,  and  may  be 
owing  to  a  duplication  of  strata  from  end  pressure,  or  flexure, 
or  a  mere  fold.  It  is  240  feet  through.  Elevation  of  outcrop 
above  water  level  in  Kimberling  Creek  is  1,200  feet ;  vein 
would  no  doubt  strip  well. 

Analysis  of  manganese  ore  as  follows : 

Analysis  of  Manganese  Ore. 

Eed  oxide  of  manganese 84.34 

Oxygen 3.73 

Protoxide  of  cobalt 68 

Alumina 1.80 

Lime 32 

Silica 21 

Baryta 7.21 

Water 1.71 

(Signed)        H.  Dickinson. 


148  GILES   CO. — LEAD  AKD  ZINC. 

(This  analysis  being  made  out  by  Mr.  Dickinson  in  close 
teclinical  form,  gives  59.215  p.  c.  of  metallic  manganese,  23.53 
p.  c.  of  combined  oxygen,  and  3.73  of  oxygen  recognized  as 
otherwise  disposed  in  the  ore.) 

Some  of  these  ores  resemble  closely  the  chalcophanite,  so 
admirably  investigated  by  E.  S.  Dana  and  by  Dr.  Brown  of 
Liberty  Street,  New  York. 

Again,  manganese  ore  shows  in  beautiful  crystals  of  pyro- 
lusite  up  Big  Stony  Creek,  as  common  oxide  in  Buckeye  and 
Spruce  Bun  Mountains,  and  at  the  ore  beds  above  the  furnace 
on  Sinking  Creek.  It  is  not  yet  fully  determined  whether 
these  ores  will  pay  as  shipping  ores,  either  for  quality  or 
quantity.  In  the  Salt  Pond  Mountain  considerable  masses 
and  deposits  have  been  found,  that  is,  in  the  flanking  ridges 
to  the  south.  It  is  probable  that  the  bright  silvery  luster 
sometimes  characteristic  of  the  ore  has  deceived  some  people 
into  mining  and  shipping  it,  under  the  impression  that  they 
had  good  silver  ore.  Such  is  presumed  to  be  the  case  with 
reference  to  ores  shipped  from  near  Salt  Pond  Mountain. 

COPPER. 

Copper  has  been  detected  in  the  pyrites  of  the  Hamilton 
Black  Slates,  but  in  small  quantities. 

LEAD  AND  ZINC. 

Both  lead  and  zinc  are  occasionally  met  with  in  this 
county.  The  rocks  of  the  Lower  Helderberg  group  some- 
times give  them  in  small  quantities.  These  Helderberg  rocks 
are  usually  in  the  form  of  very  pure  limestones,  rarely  ever 
more  than  50  feet  thick.  Dismal  Creek  shows  these  rocks 
with  lead  in  them.  They  may  also  be  found  at  a  few  places 
on  East  River  and  Buckhorn  Mountains,  Big  Stony  Creek, 
and  now  and  then  in  the  Butte  and  Salt  Pond  Mountains. 


GILES   CO. — LIMESTONE.  149 

SILVER. 

A  trace  of  silver  may  now  and  tlien  be  found  in  the  lead 
ores  just  described,  but  as  to  any  paying  quantity  ever  being 
discovered  it  is  quite  doubtful. 

LIMESTONE. 

Limestones  abound  in  nearly  all  parts  of  tbe  county,  except 
in  the  higher  mountains.  They  belong  usually  to  the  Lower 
Silurian  or  Cambrian  Series.  Only  those  few  ledges  above 
mentioned  as  containing  the  lead,  which  belong  about  the 
division  between  the  Upper  Silurian  and  Devonian  Series, 
are  out  of  the  iisual  locality  occupied  by  the  great  mass  of 
limestones  in  the  county. 

Along  New  River,  all  the  way  through,  except  in  the  moun- 
tain canons,  the  limestone  forms  many  towering  and  beautiful 
cHffs. 

An  analysis  of  some  of  the  Helderberg  limestone,  taken 
from  Dismal  Creek  by  Prof.  Dickinson,  is  as  follows  : 

Lime ' 49.42 

Magnesia 2.04 

Protoxide  of  iron 1.53 

Oxide  of  manganese 15 

Alumina 48 

Silica 2.94 

Sulphuric  acid 02 

Phosphoric  acid 04 

Carbonic  acid 42.00 

Water 00 

Organic  matter 78 

There  are  a  great  many  ledges  of  pure  limestone  in  the 
county,  making  an  excellent  lime,  while  occasionally  hydrau- 
lic limestone  is  met  with.  The  first  weathers  blue,  the  latter 
light  drab  or  eartliy  white. 


150  GILES  CO. — TIMBEE. 

MAEBLE. 

There  is  a  ledge  of  very  compact  limestone,  about  30  feet 
tliick  apparently,  at  the  junction  of  the  Trenton  and  Hudson 
Eocks,  yery  full  of  the  remains  of  comminuted  shells,  etc., 
which  may  very  well  be  considered  a  fine  marble.  In  many 
places  it  resembles  the  Tennessee  marble  in  appearance  and 
texture.  Its  best  development  is  probably  in  Rye  Hollow  on 
the  south  side.  This  locality  is  toward  the  south  side  of  the 
county,  west  of  the  river.  It  shows  also  on  the  east  side  of 
the  river,  in  the  north  of  Spruce  Bun  Mountain,  low  down, 
and  at  other  places,  including  the  north  and  south  of  Angel's 
Best  Mountain,  Butte  and  Salt  Pond  Mountains. 

TIMBER. 

Timber  is  very  plentiful  in  Giles  County.  Much  of  its 
area  would  yield  largely  for  years  to  come  in  charcoal. 
There  is  white  oak,  chestnut  oak,  chestnut,  black  oak, 
hickory,  sugar  maple,  locust,  black  pine,  white  pine,  hem- 
lock or  spruce  pine,  poplar,  linn,  buckeye,  black  walnut, 
dogwood  and  cedar,  in  the  order  of  their  respective  quan- 
tities. 

Much  of  this  timber  is  very  fine  for  cabinet  and  ornamental 
purposes.  Large  areas  of  the  mountain  sides  yield  immensely 
in  chestnut  oak,  from  which  tan  bark  could  be  obtained  in 
such  quantities  as  to  make  a  paying  industry,  once  the  ques- 
tion of  transportation  is  solved. 

In  the  valleys  and  among  the  strictly  grass  lands,  nearly 
all  the  trees  except  the  white  and  black  pines,  chestnut  oak, 
hemlock,  etc.,  abound.  Some  of  the  walnuts  and  sugar 
trees  attain  remarkable  size  and  beauty.  Many  of  these 
noble  trees,  which  would  bring  a  high  price  in  the  seaboard 
cities,  have  been  burnt  in  log  heaps,  or  have  been  used  in 
making  worm-fences. 


GILES  CO. — AGEICULTUEE.  151 


AGRICULTURE. 


It  is  difficult  to  do  this  subject  justice  in  a  few  words,  as 
far  as  it  relates  to  this  countj.  The  sections  of  the  county 
which  are  most  favorable  for  farming  are  those  which  are 
also  the  best  grass  producing  sections.  While  this  is  true  of 
nearly  the  whole  of  Southwestern  Virginia,  in  the  limestone 
counties,  it  seems  to  be  particularly  so  with  regard  to  Giles. 
The  great  central  basin  on  either  side  of  New  Eiyer,  ten  or 
twelve  miles  in  average  width,  Upper  Sinking  Creek,  Walker's 
Creek,  Sugar  Run,  Wolf  Creek,  Stony  Creek,  Eye  Hollow,  etc., 
are  dotted  over  with  farms,  even  high  up  on  the  mountain 
sides.  Many  of  these  graze  considerable  herds  of  cattle,  be- 
sides being  in  part  devoted  to  cereal  crops.  Some  of  them 
are  tobacco  producing;  The  average  capacity  of  corn  land  is 
30  bushels  to  the  acre,  while  a  crop  here  and  there  will  go  to 
60  bushels  jjer  acre. 

Wheat  rarely  exceeds  an  average  of  20  bushels  per  acre, 
though  it  often  goes  to  30  bushels  and  sometimes  higher. 
Rye  is  one  of  the  important  crops  of  the  county.  Oats 
do  well,  rarely  ever  failing  in  any  season  to  make  a  good 
crop.  Plaster  or  gypsum  is  the  fertilizer  most  commonly 
used,  and  is  reported  to  increase  the  yield  on  nearly  all  the 
lands  of  the  county,  especially  where  there  are  rocks  contain- 
ing potash,  soda,  or  lime. 

The  sulphuric  acid  contained  in  the  gypsum,  when  set  free, 
seems  to  be  an  easy  solvent  for  a  great  many  of  the  rocks 
showing  on  the  surface  in  Giles  County.  A  good  deal  of  this 
surface  has  the  white  flint,  which  contains  potash  and  soda 
felspars  derived  from  a  vein  of  it  abcnit  ten  foot  thick,  which 
lies  about  75  feet  above  the  celebrated  vein  of  iron  ore.  The 
dip  of  the  rocks,  as  you  approach  the  great  basin  of  the 
county  from  any  direction,  is  so  gentle,  that  these  rocks  when 
found  on  the  surface  continue  in  sight  for  considerable  dis- 


152       GILES  CO. — MINERAL   SPRINGS  AND  WATERING-PLACES. 

tances.  Gypsum  when  sown  where  even  a  small  percentage 
of  this  rock  is  on  the  surface,  increases  the  yield  of  the  lands 
surprisingly.  This  may  be  owing  also,  somewhat,  to  small 
percentages  of  phosphates  set  free  by  the  action  of  different 
reagents  resulting  from  the  decomposition  of  the  gypsum.  It 
is  a  good  thing  that,  not  only  here  but  in  many  other  locali- 
ties, this  cheap  fertilizer,  which  abounds  so  plentifully  in 
some  of  the  counties  of  Southwest  Virginia,  should  be  so 
valuable  and  efficient. 

FRUITS. 

The  apple  seems  to  be  the  most  successful  and  reliable  of 
the  fruit  crops.  It  is  an  exception,  rarely  ever  repeated  twice  / 
in  a  century,  that  the  apple  crop  fails.  There  are  many  im- 
proved kinds  of  apples  in  the  county,  the  tree  seeming  to  be 
long-lived  and  very  fi^uitful.  Peaches  are  very  precarious. 
The  trees  seem  to  thrive  well,  but  do  not  produce  regularly. 
The  pear  and  quince  hit  oftener.  The  cherry  is  a  native, 
apparently,  judging  from  its  reliability  and  plentiful  crop. 

GRAPES. 

This  county  has  few  but  the  native  varieties,  and  they 
generally  do  very  well  annually.  Not  much  attention,  how- 
ever, is  paid  to  their  culture. 

BEE   CULTURE 

is  slowly  gaining  ground  in  the  county,  and  when  readier 
means  of  transportation  are  supplied  much  honey  will  no 
doubt  be  raised  for  market. 

MINERAL   SPRINGS  AND   WATERING-PLACES. 

The  mineral  springs  of  this  county  are  not  so  numerous  as 
those  of  Montgomery  ;  but  at  the  New  Kiver  White  Sulphur, 
the  water  is  said  to  be  a  highly  medicinal  and  curative  agent. 


GILES  CO. — SCENEEY.  153 

These  springs  are  located  on  tlie  east  bank  of  New  Biver, 
toward  the  south  side  of  the  county,  about  eleven  or  twelve 
miles  north  of  the  Atlantic,  Mississippi  and  Ohio  Eailroad 
(New  Eiver  Station).  They  will  be  right  on  the  line  of  the 
New  Eiver  Eailroad  when  that  road  is  completed,  and  will 
then  enjoy  that  popularity  to  which  their  fine  location  and 
the  curative  power  of  the  water  entitles  them. 

Just  here  New  Eiver  flows  with  a  sweeping  curve  under 
one  of  its  towering  limestone  cliffs,  and,  altogether,  the  sur- 
roundings go  to  make  up  one  of  those  pictures  of  delightful 
mountain  scenery  which  have  as  much  influence  in  restoring 
the  wasted  energies  of  the  human  frame  as  any  other  cause. 

3Iountain  Lake  is  a  celebrated  watering-place  on  the  top  of 
Salt  Pond  Mountain.  Its  success  as  one  of  the  most  re- 
nowned and  frequented  places  of  the  kind,  depends  only  upon 
facilities  to  get  there.  Its  chief  attraction,  besides  the  pure 
mountain  air  and  water,  is  the  mountain  lake — a  sheet  of 
water  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  in  length  by  a  less  width. 
It  has  not  been  in  existence  much  more  than  a  century. 
Perhaps  the  early  settlers  in  salting  their  stock  in  its  basin 
caused  such  a  trampling  of  cattle  over  the  small  vents  in  the 
bottom  of  the  basin  that  they  were  closed,  and  the  lake  thus 
began  to  form.  Not  many  years  since  the  forest  which  grew 
over  this  ground  was  visible  below  the  water.  Some  of  the 
old  trunks  are  said  to  be  still  in  view,  as  the  water  is  very 
clear. 

One  of  the  features  of  that  mountain  after  this,  also,  is  to 
be  the  rearing  of  t]i(?  Angora  goat.  A  great  many  of  them 
will  soon  be  placed  on  these  mountain  sides,  from  which  ample 
returns  are  expected  in  the  wool  they  will  produce. 

SCENERY. 

If  some  patent  riglit  could  bo  secured  by  which  all  classes 
of  fine  scenery  could  be  adequately  described  in  a  few  words, 


154  GILES  CO. — SCENEEY. 

no  doubt  any  writer  on  Giles  would  eagerly  avail  himself  of 
it :  for  no  one  can  do  justice  to  the  subject  here. 

Angel's  Kest,  seemingly  the  guardian  of  the  beautiful  wide- 
spread emerald  plain  below  it,  is  fitly  named.  Its  beauty,  as 
it  towers  nearly  2,000  feet  above  the  river  below,  and  the  fine 
air  which  pours  fresh  down  from  its  beautiful  sides,  would 
seem  to  have  the  power  to  inspire  any  population  living  near 
it  with  noble  and  elevated  thoughts  and  feelings. 

Some  miles  away,  to  the  east,  the  Salt  Pond  and  Butte 
Mountains  seem  like  great  counterparts  of  Angel's  Rest,  and 
lend  an  additional  charm  to  the  great  scene  in  which  New 
Eiver  forms  a  distinct  feature  as  it  winds  its  way  between 
them. 

Often  repeated  along  this  river  are  high  cliffs,  such  as  those 
at  the  White  Sulphur  Sj^rings,  Clyburn's  Ferry,  Humphrey's 
or  French's  Cliff,  and  numerous  others.  Eising  sometimes 
from  300  to  500  feet  precipitously  from  the  water,  stained  in 
many  colors  of  drab  and  red,  brown  and  black,  they  present 
a  pleasing  and  attractive  picture.  There  are  pillars  and 
towers  and  columns,  fi'equently  suggesting  the  idea  of  design. 
Nature  has  sculptured  and  decorated  them  in  designs  of  more 
than  mortal  conception  of  the  beautiful. 

Again,  in  the  deep  gorges  of  the  high  mountains,  streams 
like  Mill  Creek  have  poured  their  never-failing  crystal  waters, 
unnoticed  through  time,  over  the  high  falls  and  cascades 
almost  concealed  in  the  wealth  of  luxuriant  vegetation  of  the 
rich  hollows. 

Mountain  Lake  needs  no  eulogy !  No  description  of  it 
could  be  rose-colored,  viewed  in  sunshine  or  in  storm.  The 
simple  truth  as  to  its  history  and  natural  beauty  makes  it 
appear  the  creation  of  the  highest  fancy.  Left  alone  it  must 
finally  commend  itself  to  any  enlightened  and  appreciative 
people. 


FALI-S   AND   CASCADES   OF   MILL   CREEK,    OILES   CO.,    VA, 

(!'.  151.) 


GILES   CO. — MANUFACTURES.  155 

/ 

TRADE. 

The  trade  of  Giles  is  chiefly  in  cattle,  horses  and  mules, 
sheep,  wool,  wheat,  corn,  and  tobacco.  Of  the  former,  there 
are  about  3,500  annually  shipped — much  too  small  a  number 
for  so  good  a  grass  county.  Of  this  number,  perhaps  one 
third  goes  to  the  English  markets.  Of  sheep,  there  are 
probably  not  more  than  1,800  shipped,  owing  to  the  de- 
struction occasioned  by  want  of  watchfulness  on  the  part  of 
owners.  Of  wool,  there  are  about  10,000  pounds  shipped 
annually  ;  a  small  proportion  of  the  wool  grown  is  carded  and 
spun  at  home. 

Of  wheat,  there  are  35,000  bushels  now  shipped.  No 
doubt  this  quantity  would  be  greatly  increased  with  proper 
lines  of  transportation  through  the  county.  Of  corn,  there  is 
but  a  small  surplus  shipped. 

Tobacco  is  getting  to  be  quite  a  staple  in  the  county.  Its 
product  last  year  amounted  to  nearly  350,000  pounds.  The 
average  price  received  was  from  seven  to  eight  dollars  per 
hundred  pounds,  the  lands  rarely  averaging  more  than  750 
to  800  pounds  per  acre.  Wolf  Creek,  and  some  points  on 
lower  Walker's  Creek  and  New  River,  east  of  Pearisburg, 
seem  to  be  the  more  prominent  tobacco  localities. 

Any  railroad  line  built  through  the  county  would  soon 
cause  an  increase  in  the  production  of  all  staples.  There  is 
but  little  now  to  stimulate  the  pojjulation  to  raise  more  than 
will  supply  their  wants  and  pay  taxes. 

MANUFACTURES. 

There  are  no  manufactures  worthy  of  notice,  beyond  a  few 
carding  machines,  though  there  is  ample  water-power  on 
nearly  all  the  stroains  to  warrant  oxtonsivo  ostablishmeiits. 


u  * 


*  Under  this  head  maybe  dfiscribed  "The  Sinking  Creek  l'\iriiace,"  two 
miles  east  of  Newport,  on  Sinking  Creek.  This  furnace  dates  back  to  73. 
It  has  had  the  usual  experience  of  furnaces  located  eighteen  or  twenty  miles 


156  GILES  CO. — TOWNS,   ETC. 

SCHOOLS. 

There  are  two  or  more  select  schools  in  the  county  not 
connected  with  the  public  school  system.  The  public  schools 
have  not  given  satisfaction  in  the  last  few  years,  but  there 
seems  now  to  be  a  chance  that  a  better  state  of  things  will 
prevail  in  the  future. 

FISH   CLT^TUEE. 

The  attempts  which  have  been  made  to  stock  New  Eiver 
•with  improved  fish  will  no  doubt  show  favorably  in  that 
stream  and  tributaries  in  the  next  few  years.  The  black 
bass,  which  are  becoming  so  numerous  in  the  county  of 
Pulaski,  in  New  Eiver,  will  soon  fill  the  streams  of  Giles 
County. 

TOWNS,  ETC. 

Pearisburg,  containing  the  court-house,  is  situated  in  the 
shadow  almost  of  the  beautiful  Angel's  Rest.  It  contains 
churches  of  different  denominations,  schools,  hotels,  stores, 
cabinet-making  establishments,  smiths'  shops,  etc.,  etc. 

Newport,  toward  the  southeast  side  of  the  county,  is  a 
village  jjleasantly  situated  near  the  northern  base  of  Gap 
Mountain.  It  has  also  schools,  stores,  and  shops  of  different 
kinds.  A  town  is  springing  up  at  the  Narrows  of  New  Eiver^ 
on  the  north  side  of  the  county,  destined  to  be  a  great 
manufacturing  place  in  iron  and  steel  when  all  the  railroads 
are  built  which  are  now  contemplated  to  pass  through  it. 

Staffordsville,  Poplar  Hill,  and  White  Gate,  on  Walker's 
Creek,  are  notable  places  in  the  county. 

from  railway  transportation.  This  furnace,  with  proper  care  observed  in 
selecting  its  fluxes,  will  have  a  good  future  before  it.  It  can  select  its  ores 
from  semi-magnetic  or  brown  ores,  as  it  chooses,  and  ought  to  make  eight 
tons  daily  of  prime  charcoal  pig.  It  is  now  in  blast,  being  run  by  Mr.  Brown, 
the  banker,  of  Baltimore. 


GILES   CO. — TRA^•SPOETATION  LINES.  157 

TRANSPORTATION  LINES. 

New  Eiver  is  contemplated  to  be  made  navigable  at  some 
day  by  the  United  States  Government,  surveys  having  been 
made  to  ascertain  practicability,  cost,  etc.  Some  appropri- 
ations have  been  made  and  work  done  on  the  river,  but  none 
in  this  county. 

The  New  Eiver  Railroad  Company,  under  charters  from 
the  States  of  Virginia  and  West  Yirginia,  is  now  constructing 
a  narrow-gauge  railroad  along  the  banks  of  New  River,  in 
Giles — a  road  which  will  connect  Hinton  on  the  Chesapeake 
and  Ohio  Railroad  with  New  River  Station  on  the  Atlantic, 
Mississippi  and  Ohio  Railroad. 

This  road  will  be  completed  in  two  years,  and  will  add 
much  to  the  wealth  of  the  county  by  the  developments  it  will 
make  of  the  vast  iron  deposits,  the  facilities  it  will  afford, 
etc. 

The  line  of  the  Yirginia,  Kentucky,  and  Ohio  Railroad 
passes  through  the  southern  part  of  the  county — a  road 
which  may  be  built  in  the  next  few  years. 

The  line  of  the  Shenandoah  Valley  Railroad  extension  also 
passes  through  Giles,  following  the  line  of  Big  Stony  and 
Wolf  Creeks. 

The  line  of  the  Richmond  and  Southwestern  Railroad  jiasses 
also  through  the  county  from  east  to  west,  a  narrow-gauge 
double -track  road,  leading  from  Richmond,  Virginia,  to 
Pound  Gap   in  Kentucky,  and  on  to  the  Mississippi  River. 

The  line  of  the  extension  of  the  Richmond  and  Alleghany 
Railroad,  now  being  constructed  up  James  River,  if  built, 
would  pass  through  this  county  from  oast  to  west. 

The  Pittsburgh  Southern  Railroad,  ntnv  being  built  from 
Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  soutliwardly,  will,  if  extended  into  this  region, 
pass  tljrough  the  county  from  north  to  soutli,  following  nearly 
the  line  of  New  River ;  possibly  passing  out  southwcstwardly 


158  BLAKD   CO. — HOW  WATEEED. 

througli  Shannon's  Gap,  and  up  Little  Walker's  Creek,  in  the 
direction  of  the  great  Cranberry  magnetic  ore  beds  of  North 
Carolina. 

BLAND  COUNTY. 

This  is  essentially  a  mountain  county  in  every  sense,  more 
than  one  half  being  mountainous.  Though  comparatively 
new,  it  has  many  jDoints  of  interest,  besides  holding  within  its 
irregular  surface  many  of  the  most  valuable  mineral  deposits 
in  this  section.  It  is  not  without  fine  grass  lands,  fine 
streams,  and  splendid  scenery.  Its  timber  areas  are  highly 
valuable,  and  its  mineral  waters  rank  among  the  most  effect- 
ive curative  agents  in  the  country.  Its  population  is  more 
than  usually  industrious  and  enterprising,  and  with  the 
encouragement  which  increased  facilities  of  transportation 
would  give,  its  citizens  would  be  among  the  most  active  in 
developing  the  fine  resources  of  the  county.  And,  what  is 
not  generally  known.  Bland  holds  at  the  south  base  of 
Brushy  Mountain,  a  very  respectable  coal-field  of  its  own. 

HOW  BOUNDED. 

Bland  has  for  its  northern  boundary  line,  the  crest  of  East 
Biver  Mountain ;  for  a  short  distance  is  a  border  county, 
touching  the  county  of  Mercer,  one  of  the  most  southern 
counties  of  West  Virginia.  It  is  bounded  south  by  "Wythe 
County  and  a  part  of  Pulaski,  east  by  Giles  County,  and  west 
by  Tazewell  and  Smyth  Counties.  The  marked  feature  on  its 
southern  line  is  Walker's  Mountain ;  on  its  western  and  north- 
western. Garden  and  Round  Mountains. 

HOW   WATERED. 

Bland  is  finely  watered  by  never-failing  mountain  streams 
of  pure  water,  several  of  the  prominent  streams  of  the  sec- 


BLAND   CO. — GEOLOGY.  159 

tion  taking  tlieir  soiirca  in  tlie  county.  TValker's  Creek, 
wliicli  flows  east  into  New  Eiver  throiigli  Giles,  rises  in 
Bland  and  unites  at  Kimberliufr  Church  with  Kimberlino- 
Creek,  which  has  its  source  principally  in  Bland.  The  North 
Fork  of  Holston  Eiver  rises  near  Sharon  Springs  and  flows 
westwardly  into  Smyth  County  ;  and  "Wolf  Creek,  which  flows 
out  of  Burk's  Garden — receiving  one  of  its  afiluents.  Hunting 
Camp  Creek,  wholly  a  Bland  County  stream,  at  the  end  of 
Bound  Mountain — flows  through  Rocky  Gap,  where  it  unites 
the  waters  of  Clear  Fork  and  Laurel,  on  the  northern  side  of 
the  county,  and  enters  New  Eiver  near  the  Narrows  in  Giles 
County. 

GEOLOGY. 

The  cross  sections  show  Bland  to  difi'er  somewhat  from 
its  neighbors  in  geological  structure.  Giles  County  would 
be  very  similar  but  for  the  coal  measures  of  Bland,  before 
alluded  to.  It  has  very  much  the  same  geology  as  Taze- 
well, except  there  is  an  apj^arent  difference  in  the  struc- 
ture of  the  coal  measures,  as  well  as  in  the  number  of 
faults  creating  mountain  ranges.  In  the  short  space  of 
ten  miles  across  the  trend.  Bland  has  no  less  than  six,  and 
a  part  of  the  way,  seven  of  the  most  considerable  mountain 
ranges  in  the  State.  It  is  in  the  very  heart  of  the  line  of  the 
Alleghany  range  prolonged  southwestwardly,  and  as  to  the 
whole  Appalachian  system,  including  the  Blue  Eidge,  Alle- 
ghany, and  Cumberland  mountains,  occupies  a  central  position. 
Bland  also  occupies  an  elevated  position,  giving  rise  to  the 
waters  of  tlie  Holston,  which  flow  westwardly  toward  Ten- 
nessee, and  the  tributaries  of  New  Eiver  flowing  in  the  oppo- 
site direction. 

The  general  elevation  of  the  valleys  is  from  2,500  to  2,800 
feet  above  sea  level,  while  some  of  its  mountains  attain  a 
height  of  4,400  feet  above  the  ocean. 


160  BLAND   CO. — GEOLOGY. 

A  part  of  the  soutliern  border  of  the  county  overlapping 
Walker's  Mountain  and  taking  in  a  portion  of  Little  Walker's 
Mountain's  northern  slope,  it  would  be  proper  to  say  that  the 
southern  end  of  the  cross  section  begins  about  the  Catskill 
sandstone,  which  generally  is  about  the  central  ledge  of  Lit- 
tle Walker's  Mountain,  Thence  going  north  you  pass  over 
the  upturned  edges  of  the  underlying  Chemung,  or  Old  Eed 
Sandstone  series,  dipping  40^  southwardly  ;  then  the  Hamil- 
ton slates  and  sandstone,  generally  thin  bedded ;  then  the 
Marcellus  black  slates  with  occasional  crystals  of  lead  and 
copper,  and  sometimes  so  highly  bituminous  as  to  yield 
nearly  two  inches  of  imj^ure  coal ;  then  still  to  the  north, 
with  about  the  same  dip  (40°)  we  reach  the  rocks  in  the 
southern  slopes  of  Walker's  Mountain  :  first  the  Upper  Hel- 
derberg  about  40  feet  of  a  flint  ledge,  sometimes  giving  a 
silicious  iron  ore,  and  again  lead  and  zinc  suljjhide  in  small 
quantities ;  then  the  Oriskany  sandstone,  sometimes  60  feet 
thick,  with  15  feet  of  its  lower  part  so  heavily  charged  with 
iron  and  manganese,  as  to  be  a  valuable  ore  bearing  series ; 
then  the  Lower  Helderberg,  which  is  sometimes  so  thin  as 
not  to  be  noticed,  while  occasionally  it  assumes  a  thickness  of 
8  or  10  feet  of  limestone,  more  or  less  charged  with  lead  sul- 
phide. Then  next  to  this  north  is  a  band  of  undetermined  gray 
sandstones  of  about  350  feet ;  then  the  Clinton  with  16  inches 
of  fossil  ore  ;  then  the  Medina  with  its  mottled  sandstone 
and  heavy  ledges  of  ironstone,  perhaps  50  feet  thick ;  then 
about  the  heart  of  Walker's  Mountain  outcropping  at  its 
crest,  is  the  Oneida  sandstone  not  more  than  40  feet  thick ; 
then,  as  you  descend  the  northern  slope,  the  calcareous  sand- 
stones and  limes  at  the  upper  part  of  the  Hudson  Eiver 
group ;  then  the  main  body  of  the  Hudson  River  650  feet 
thick  ;  then  near  the  northern  base,  the  Trenton  limestones, 
not  more  than  300  feet  thick  along  here,  with  their  base 
marked  by  the  felspathic  flint  measure,  which  seems  to  divide 


BLAND   CO. — GEOLOGY.  IGl 

it  from  tlie  Upper  Calciferous  limestones ;  then  tlie  Upper 
Calciferous,  with  some  ledges  not  more  tlian  50  feet  below 
the  flint  measures,  marked  by  very  flattering  quantities  of  lead 
and  zinc  sulphides  ;  then  the  next  limes  of  the  Calciferous  ;  but 
a  short  distance  leads  us  to  a  fault  which  brings  us  suddenly 
against  the  rocks  of  the  Proto-carboniferous,  holding  several 
veins  of  coal,  in  the  south  spur  of  Brushy  Mountain — one  of 
the  veins  measuring  8  feet,  with  varying  dijDS  between  nearly 
flat  and  nearly  perpendicular,  having  a  trend,  like  all  these 
rocks,  about  north  70^  east.  Then  after  this,  going  north  over 
400  or  500  feet  of  thin  slates  and  sandstones,  some  of  which 
are  conglomerate,  we  are  again  at  the  Catskill  sandstones, 
occupying  the  heart  of  Brushy  Mountain  ;  thence  down  its 
northern  slope,  through  Chemung  and  Hamilton  to  the  Mar- 
cellus,  in  the  eastern  prolongation  of  Poor  Valley.  Again 
here,  at  the  foot  of  Bound  Mountain,  on  the  south  side,  which 
is  a  continuation  east  of  Garden  Mountain,  are  signs  of  lead 
in  the  slate ;  then  passing  up  on  to  Bound  Mountain,  over 
the  Upper  Helderberg  flints,  we  are  again  soon  in  the  Oris- 
kany  sandstone,  which  yields  occasionally,  along  this  moun- 
tain, a  splendid  deposit  of  iron  ore  of  the  character  of  that  at 
Chestnut  Flat  in  Giles  County,  and  sometimes  a  fine  oxide  of 
manganese  ;  next  to  this  are  the  Lower  Helderberg  limes, 
sometimes  75  feet  thick,  as  in  Garden  Mountain,  Bound 
Mountain,  and  Flat  Top  Mountain ;  then,  in  a  few  hundred 
feet  more,  up  Bound  Mountain,  we  again  encounter  the  fossil 
red  ore  about  two  feet  thick,  and  then  on  the  broad  crest  of 
the  mountain,  the  Oneida  sandstone,  assuming  a  rather  anti- 
clinal dip  ;  then,  as  we  descend  on  the  northern  side,  a  ]iarti!il 
repetition  of  the  rocks  on  the  southern  sid(\  dijiplng  iioi'th- 
wardly  instead  of  southwardly  as  bofcnc  Bound  Mountain 
has  a  tvfsnd  northeast,  but  as  you  api)roach  Bocky  Ga]),  it 
subsides  and  rises  again  in  the  Flat  Top  Mountain  in  the 

eastern  side  of  the  county,  next  to  Giles — the  intervening 
11 


162  BLAIS'D   CO. — IRON  ORES. 

space  being  mostly  marked  by  Deyonian  rocks  characteristic 
of  Brushy  Mountain. 

Then,  pursuing  the  cross  section  line  still  north,  we  en- 
counter an  irregular  synclinal  fold  at  Wolf  Creek,  with  the 
Marcellus  slates,  etc.,  very  visible  ;  going  up  Eich  Mountain 
side,  on  the  south,  we  have  a  repetition  of  the  south  side  of 
Eound  Mountain  ;  thence  down  its  north  side  to  Clear  Fork, 
where  we  meet  with  a  fault  bringing  the  Trenton  limestones 
into  contact  with  Upper  Silurian  rocks,  composing  Buckhorn 
Mountain ;  thence  we  pass  on  into  East  River  Mountain, 
showing  a  repetition  of  the  south  of  Ptound  Mountain  again. 

lEON   GEES. 

The  brown  ares  which  Bland  County  would  yield  under 
the  stimulus  of  cheap  transportation,  would  be  enormous  in 
quantity,  and  many  of  them  of  a  highly  superior  quality.  The 
Oriskany  measures  on  the  south  of  Big  Walker's  Mountain, 
occasionally  along  its  length  in  Bland,  yield  good  brown  ores 
in  beds  not  over  ten  feet  thick ;  but  the  greater  and  more 
available  masses  of  brown  ores,  toward  the  southern  limit  of 
the  county,  are  in  the  Walker's  Creek  valley,  about  New- 
berry's and  the  line  of  the  north  side  of  Walker's  Creek. 
These  ores  are  due  to  the  decomposition  of  pyritous  veins 
near  the  felspathic  flint,  belonging  about  the  junction  of  the 
Calciferous  and  Trenton  limestones.  It  would  be  difficult  to 
tell  the  number  and  thickness  of  these  veins,  as  there  are 
yet  no  developments  of  any  consequence.  Judging  from  the 
quantities  on  the  surface  in  different  places,  they  must  be  of 
good  size,  though  no  doubt  variable  in  thickness.  This  se- 
ries gives  often,  in  different  parts  of  the  county,  a  semi-mag- 
netic red  ore,  as  well  as  true  specular,  together  with  the 
brown  ore,  being  in  the  same  zone  identically  with  the  great 
Giles  County  basin. 

Brown  ores  occur  in  the  coal  rocks,  but  not  in  very  large 


BLAXD   CO. — mON  OEES.  163 

quantities.  Tlie  next  great  deposits  of  brown  ores  of  any 
consequence  are  tliose  in,  and  resulting  from,  the  decompo- 
sition of  the  Oriskany  measures  in  Garden  Mountain,  Eound 
Mountain,  Rich  Mountain,  Flat  Top,  and  East  River,  and 
Buckhorn  mountains.  It  has  already  been  said  that  Round 
Mountain  has  an  ore,  on  its  south  side,  similar  to  that  of 
Chestnut  Flat  in  Giles.  It  may  be  as  well  to  add  that  this 
particular  ore  bed  in  Round  Mountain  is  near  Kidd's  Hunt- 
ing Camp,  559  feet  above  water  level,  and  is  only  second  in 
size  and  importance  to  that  of  Chestnut  Flat  itself.  It  has 
about  the  following  composition  : 

Sesquioxide  of  iron  ....  90.000  =  G3  p.  c.  metallic  iron. 

Silica 3  500 

Sulphuric  acid 0.350 

Phosphoric  acid    0. 280 

This  ore  is  regarded  by.  experts  as  one  of  the  best  ores  in 
Virginia.  While  it  is  classed  with  the  brown  ores,  since  it 
is  found  in  the  Oriskany  measures,  it  really  gives  a  blood- 
red  when  crushed,  and  has  more  the  appearance  of  specular 
than  the  Chestnut  Flat  ore. 

Brown  ores  are  found  in  the  Upper  Ileldorberg  series, 
mixed  with  a  red  ore  in  a  vein  about  five  feet  thick,  in  Gar- 
den Mountain,  Round,  Rich,  East  River,  and  Flat  Top  moun- 
tains. The  measure,  though  distinct  at  many  points,  is  how- 
ever obscure  at  others. 

Brown  ores  again  occur  on  Clear  Fork,  principally  on  the 
Buckhorn  Mountain  side  of  the  stream,  in  flattering  quanti- 
ties, and  of  a  quality  superior  for  its  easily  fusible  qualities, 
and  general  freedom  from  impurities. 

Red  Ores. 

The  two  red  ores  of  greatest  quantity  are  the  fossil  red — 
in  the  larger  mountains— and  the  fine  specular  which  shows 


164  BLAND   CO. — MANGANESE. 

now  and  tlien  in  the  felspatliic  flint  measures  above  men- 
tioned, as  in  tlie  liills  toward  Tillson's  Mill,  in  the  west  end 
of  the  county,  and  other  points  along  that  range,  north  bank 
of  Walker's  Creek. 

The  fossil  red  is  generally  in  one  vein  on  the  southern  ex- 
posures, from  sixteen  inches  to  two  feet  thick,  and  would 
yield  for  the  whole  county  an  unlimited  tonnage.  Walker's 
Mountain,  Eound,  Garden,  Flat  Top,  Wolf  Creek,  Eich,  and 
East  River  mountains  show  the  ore  very  distinctly,  and  it  is 
generally  continuous.  Some  good  judges,  such  as  Peofessor 
Lesley,  think  it  rather  silicious,  but  it  may  be  submitted  that 
as  an  ore  to  mix  with  the  other  abundant  ores  of  the  county, 
it  will  serve  a  fine  purpose. 

The  specular,  or  semi-magnetic  red,  of  the  Giles  County 
basin  prolonged,  is  found  near  the  felspathic  flint  in  quanti- 
ties, now  and  then,  to  be  of  great  value ;  its  great  purity 
and  high  percentage  of  metallic  iron  make  it  a  very  valuable 
adjunct  to  the  other  ore  deposits  of  the  county. 

Chromic  ore  has  been  reported  from  this  county,  but  it  is 
questionable  whether  a  ton  of  it  will  ever  be  found. 

manganese. 

Ores  of  manganese  are  very  abundant  in  this  county. 
Eound  Mountain — in  the  Oriskany  measures — Flat  Top,  Gar- 
den, East  Eiver,  and  Eich  mountains  show  veins  of  it  some- 
times over  ten  feet  thick.  Very  frequently  it  is  a  very  pure 
binoxide.  A  little  further  exploration  and  development  must 
show  it  in  such  quantity  as  to  make  it  quite  an  item  of  trans- 
portation. 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  give  its  analysis  here.  The 
mass  of  it  is  not  binoxide,  but  there  is  a  great  deal  of  it  in 
pure  crystalline  form,  and  would  give  the  standard  analysis 
for  pure  ore  whenever  assayed. 


BLAOT)  CO. — LEAD  AND  ZINC.  165 


COAL. 


Tlie  coal  of  Bland,  of  any  value,  is  in  one  vein,  lying  at  the 
south  foot  of  Brushy  Mountain,  and  extending  from  the  west 
end  of  the  county  to  a  point  a  few  miles  east  of  Seddon, 
where  the  coal  measures  have  been  uplifted  and  denuded. 

This  vein,  owing  to  the  disturbance  of  the  whole  formation, 
is  occasionally  ten  feet  thick — as  near  Sharon,  for  instance — 
but  its  general  measure  is  6  feet  for  the  greater  part  of  the 
distance,  and  sometimes  not  over  3^  feet.  It  yields,  for  parts 
of  its  length,  a  very  firm  bituminous  coal ;  again,  it  gives  a 
crushed  article ;  but  much  of  it  is  really  valuable,  though  the 
dip  is  variable,  between  nearly  vertical  and  horizontal.  It 
may  be  said  to  measure  from  the  outcrop  down  to  the  line  of 
fault,  or  where  it  is  cut  olf  by  limestone,  over  a  half  mile. 


LEAD  AND  ZINC. 

Lead  and  zinc  are  found  in  the  most  flattering  quantities 
at  several  points,  in  a  measure  which  underlies  the  fels^^atliic 
flint  lead ;  occurring  all  the  way  from  Smyth  County  to  the 
Giles  County  line  ;  but  on  the  turnpike  5  miles  east  of  Sharon 
it  shows  more  conspicuously  than  anywhere.  The  dolomite 
here  dipping,  first  gently,  then  steeply  to  the  south,  has  good 
lead  and  zinc  sulphides  shot  through  it  in  masses  whicli 
sometimes  weigh  ten  or  twelve  pounds ;  but  as  to  whether  it 
is  there  in  a  large  and  compact  vein  can  only  be  determined  by 
further  development.  It  has  a  very  flattering  appearance  on 
the  outside ;  and  some  of  the  ores,  both  of  lead  and  decom- 
posed zinc,  are  of  a  very  higli  percentage  of  purity.  Again, 
in  the  Water  Lime  groups  of  the  Lower  Helderberg  rocks,  in 
Garden  Mountain,  as  well  as  Flat  Top  Mountain  on  Dismal 
Creek,  lead  and  zinc  occur  as  very  interesting  constituents 
of  the  rocks. 


166  BLAND   CO. — MINER-\L    SPRINGS. 


BAEYTES. 


Barytes  is  now  and  tlien  found  near  tlie  felspatliic  flint 
lead  also. 

Cojyper  is  found  in  the  Marcellus  shales  on  either  side  of 
Hound  Mountain,  but  scarcely  sufficient  to  pay  for  working. 

Bolt  should  naturally  exist  in  the  rocks  of  X.  and  XII.,  so 
abundant  in  Brushy  Mountain. 

Petroleum. — Though  the  petroleum  rocks  of  Bland  may  be 
barren  of  oil,  they  are  quite  easily  distinguished  at  the  north 
base  of  Brushy  Mountain.  In  the  Kimberling  district,  about 
and  below  Kimberling  Springs,  there  is  a  very  large  basin  of 
converging  dips,  where  the  rocks  ought  naturally  to  form  a 
reservoir  for  the  oil  drainage.  This  section  is  underlaid  with 
the  oil  series  at  only  a  few  hundred  feet  depth ;  and  is  really 
the  only  apparent  oil  basin  outside  of  the  coal  measures, 
belonging  strictly  to  the  great  Kanawha  coal  basin  in  this 
section. 

BUILDESTG    STONES. 

The  principal  building  stones  are  found  among  the  lime- 
stones ;  also  in  the  flags  in  large  measures  of  thin-bedded 
sandstones  of  the  Devonian  rocks,  underlying  and  north  of 
the  coal  veins. 

MINERAL  SPRINGS. 

Sharon  Alum  and  Chalybeate  Springs  are  situated  on  the 
turnpike  leading  from  Wytheville  to  Tazewell,  about  18  miles 
from  the  former,  toward  the  western  portion  of  the  county. 
These  springs,  being  arranged  for  the  accommodation  of  nu- 
merous visitors,  are  justly  regarded  as  among  the  most  pleasant 
watering-places  in  the  mountains.  The  elevation  here  is 
about  2,800  feet  above  the  sea,  and  the  fine  water,  combined 
with  the  pure  air  and  healthy  diet,  make  it  an  agreeable  place 
to  every  one  who  visits  these  springs. 


BLAND  CO. — WATER  POWER.  1G7 

Kimberliug  SjDrings,  iu  tlie  central  portion  of  tlie  county, 
are  noted  for  the  wild  and  picturesque  scenery  surrounding 
tliem,  the  highly  curative  j^ower  of  the  sulphur  water,  and 
the  invigorating  influence  of  the  fine  air.  These  springs 
boast  four  different  springs,  one  of  which  is  an  Alum  Chaly- 
beate. They  are  situated  28  miles  north  from  Wytheville, 
Atlantic,  Mississippi  and  Ohio  Railroad. 


TIMBER. 

All  of  the  timber  enumerated  for  the  other  counties  of  South- 
western Virginia  are  represented  in  Bland  County,  except  the 
balsam  fir  tree.  There  are  large  quantities  of  white  pine 
in  the  Brushy  Mountain,  Hunting  Camj)  Creek  and  Kimber- 
ling,  toward  the  heads  of  its  tributaries.  White  oak  is  abun- 
dant in  nearly  all  sections  of  the  county;  large  bodies  of 
chestnut  oak  and  chestnut.  Walnut  is  common  in  the 
Walker's  Creek  and  Holston  Valleys  and  the  Clear  Fork 
Valley.  Poplar  is  not  now  so  plentiful  as  formerly;  but 
deficiencies  in  other  woods  are  made  u})  by  the  quantity  of 
whits  oak  stave  timber  remaining  in  the  Hunting  Camp, 
Lick  Creek,  Kimberling  County  and  other  districts,  and  the 
great  quantity  of  chestnut  oak  good  for  tan  bark.  There  is 
also  a  great  deal  of  hickory  and  the  wliite  woods,  such  as 
white  walnut,  cucumber,  linn,  buckeye,  wahoo,  and  some 
ash,  locust,  and  spruce  pine. 

WATER  TOWERS. 

Numerous  water  powers  are  easily  obtainable  on  Walker's 
Creek,  Holston  Eiver,  Wolf  Creek,  Clear  Fork,  Hunting  Camp 
and  Kimberling.  These  streams  f.iU  generally  about  25  feet 
per  mile,  and  will  give  powers  requiring  any  measurement 
from  80  cubic  feet  per  second  down  to  10  feet  per  second. 


168  BLAXD   CO. — SCENEEY. 


3\L\mJFACTUEES. 


The  people  of  this  county  with  fairer  opportunities  would 
be  decidedly  a  manufacturing  population.  To  the  extent  of 
their  ability,  they  are  now  very  much  disposed  to  combine 
for  the  purpose  of  erecting  woolen  mills  and  other  factories. 

There  is  now  a  good  carding  machine  and  woolen  mill  in 
the  vicinity  of  Mechanicsburg,  and  others  perhaps  contem- 
plated in  the  county.  There  are  numerous  good  saw  and 
grist  mills  in  the  county. 

AGRICULTUEE. 

The  grass  fields  of  Walker's  Creek  and  Holston  Valley 
graze  a  great  many  cattle,  sheep,  etc.,  annually,  and  farming 
is  carried  on  all  over  the  county  as  extensively  as  the 
mountainous  nature  of  the  country  will  permit.  Clear  Fork, 
"Wolf  Creek,  Hunting  Camp,  and  Kimberling,  also  have  good 
farming  areas ;  and  there  are  many  good  farms  still  in  the 
forest  uncleared.  Sheep  raising  would  be  very  profitable  on 
a  large  scale  in  Bland ;  and  for  the  Angora  goat,  no  doubt  it 
would  be  excellent. 

SCENEEY. 

The  scenery  in  Bland  is  in  some  parts  imposing,  on 
account  of  the  greater  field  of  view  being  taken  up  by  moun- 
tains; but  there  are  many  choice  views  in  the  county. 
Frequently,  a  most  lovely  and  romantic  view  will  break  upon 
the  tourist  or  traveler  in  riding  along  the  roads,  which  now 
and  then  lead  through  the  mountain  gorges,  usually  flanked 
on  one  side  by  a  stream  pouring  over  waterfalls  and  cascades, 
both  road  and  stream  fringed  with  rhododendrons,  azaleas, 
and  flowering  shrubs,  towering  above  which  are  a])t  to  be 
thick  spruce  pines  with  their  thick  and  dark  foliage. 

All  the  fruits  of  this  latitude  are  apparently  at  home  in 
Bland,  the  peach  only  being  somewhat  irregular  in  bearing. 


BLAND   CO. — TOWNS  AND    VILLAGES.  169 

Grapes  are  recognized  as  being  peculiarly  adapted  to  Bland  ; 
and  on  Wolf  Creek,  on  the  north,  side  of  Eound  Mountain,  a 
good  deal  of  wine  is  made  annually  from  the  native  varieties. 
The  White  Muscadine  is  one  of  the  varieties  native  to  Bland, 
and  is  said  to  be  a  well-flavored  grape.  Bees  do  well  in 
Bland,  where  there  are  so  many  flowering  shrubs  and  trees. 

TR.U)E  IN  CATTLE,  SHEEP,  WOOL,  WHEAT,  AND  COEN. 

Bland  annually  sends  off  :  Cattle 2,850  head. 

"  "  "  Sheep 4,000    " 

"  "  "  "  Wool, 11,000  pounds. 

"  "  "  "  Wheat 2,800  bushels. 

Corn.  No  attempt  is  made  to  raise  corn  for  maafket, 
though  a  few  hundred  bushels  are  sometimes  sold  out  of  the 
county. 

LINES  OP  TRANSPORTATION. 

The  lines  of  railway  bidding  fairest  to  be  built  at  an  early 
day  through  Bland,  are  the  Bichmond  and  Southwestern 
Railway  and  the  Virginia,  Kentucky,  and  Ohio  Railway. 
Either  of  these  roads  would  very  fully  develop  the  fine 
resources  of  the  county. 

TOWNS  AND  VILL.\.GES. 

S&ldon,  the  county  site,  is  a  place  of  300  inhabitants,  near- 
ly at  the  middle  of  the  county,  east  and  west ;  li.iving  besides 
the  court  house  and  the  pul)lic  records,  good  hotels,  st(^ros, 
churches,  cabinet  and  smith  sliops,  iiiid  an  enterprising  and 
progressive  newspaper,  calh^d  "  77/e  Soulh  ami  IVcsl." 

Mechanic fihur (J  is  somowliut  sinalha*,  in  tlio  southeastern 
part  of  the  county,  near  Walker's  Creek  and  Kimborling 
Church,  with  stores,  etc. 

Rocky  Gap  will  one   day  bo  a  luauuf Picturing  place,  with  its 


170  TAZEWELL   COUNTY. 

fine  water  power,  besides  the  gateway  of  great  lines  of  rail- 
way. 

Sharon  has  been  mentioned   in  connection  with   Sharon 
Springs. 

PUBLIC   SCHOOLS. 

The  public  schools  of  Bland  are  now,  like  the  other  public 
schools  of  this  section,  improving. 


TAZEWELL  COUNTY. 

Of  all  the  counties  in  Virginia,  which  may  have  justly 
merited  the  praise  bestowed  iipon  them,  none  could  receive 
all  the  adulation  which  the  utmost  ingenuity  could  devise, 
and  still  merit  more,  unless  it  were  Tazewell  County. 

It  looks  as  though  some  sjDecial  attempt  was  being  made  to 
give  a  rose  coloring  to  all  the  subjects  treated  in  this  volume, 
judging  from  the  descriptions  as  they  read  ;  but  let  the  reader 
once  investigate  for  himself,  and  he  will  then  see  that  the 
powers  of  descrij)tion  and  illustration  are  tame  by  the  side 
of  the  subjects  treated. 

Tazewell  County,  if  in  Europe,  would  be  an  empire  within 
itself.  Its  territory  is  considerable,  being  forty  miles  in 
length  by  eighteen  miles  in  width ;  and,  within  that  area,  holds 
a  wealth  of  blue  grass  lands  which  are  the  admiration  of  all 
who.  see  them,  both  for  their  fertility  and  wide  extent ; 
splendid  coal  veins,  lying  well  for  mining  ;  iron  ore  deposits, 
rich  and  extensive  ;  matchless  mineral  waters,  and  forests  of 
timber  rarely,  if  ever,  surpassed  anywhere.  Some  attempt 
will  be  made  to  describe  its  scenery  further  on ;  but  to  do  so 
will  be  an  ignominious  failure  ;  for  what  pen  could  possibly 
describe  Burk's  Garden  and  surroundings  ;  or,  the  view  from 
Dial  Eock ;  or,  for  the  matter  of  that,  the  Cove  and  the  grand 
country  about  Liberty  and  Maiden  Spring  ;  or,  the  mouth  of 


TAZEWELL   CO. — HOW   WATERED.  171 

Indian,  tlie  river  country,  Bluestone  and  Wriglit's  Yallej? 
The  day  will  surely  come,  when  an  appreciative  traveling 
public  will  throng  this  county  !  Its  citizens,  who  have  been 
reared  in  the  county  and  have  become  used  to  its  every 
feature,  are  its  enthusiastic  admirers.  They  would  not 
leave  it  hardly  for  any  other  spot  on  earth,  so  fully  are  they 
imbued  wdth  its  loveliness,  its  fine  w^ater,  pure  air,  and  a  noble 
future,  heavy  with  the  promise  of  a  fine  destiny  soon  to  be 
fulfilled. 

HOW  BOUNDED. 

Tazewell  is  one  of  the  border  counties,  being  bounded  on 
the  north  by  the  county  of  McDowell  in  the  State  of  West 
Virginia ;  east  by  the  county  of  Mercer,  West  Yirginia ; 
southeast  by  Bland  County,  Yirginia ;  south  by  Smyth 
County,  Yirginia,  and  west  by  Paissell  County.  The  northern 
boundary  line  follows  generally  the  crest  of  Sandy  Eidge, 
which,  toward  the  northeast,  takes  the  name  of  Great  Flat  Top 
Mountain  ;  south,  the  great  Clinch  Eange  marks  the  boun- 
dary until  you  reach  the  east  side  of  Burk's  Garden,  when 
it  deflects  to  the  northeast,  crossing  the  Eich  Mountain,  and 
strikes  East  Eiver  Mountain  near  Nye's  Cove  ;  whence  the 
line  continues  on  the  crest  of  the  last-named  mountain,  east- 
wardly,  to  the  State  line. 

HOW  WATERED. 

The  greater  part  of  the  county  is  watered  by  Clinch  Kiver 
and  its  tributaries  flf)wing  south westwardly.  Bluestone  Eiver, 
East  Eiver,  and  Wolf  Creek,  with  some  of  its  tributaries,  rise 
in  the  eastern  portion  of  the  county  and  flow  eastwardly  into 
New  Eiver.  By  this  it  is  understood  tliat  Clinch  Eiver  and 
some  of  the  tributaries  of  Now  Eiver  have  their  source  in  this 
county,  at  a  general  elevation  of  about  2,000  feet  above  sea 


172  TAZEWELL  CO. — IRON  OEES. 

level.  The  whole  county  is  well  watered.  -Many  of  the 
springs  send  forth  such  a  large  supply  of  water  as  to  be 
capable  of  running  a  grist-mill  within  a  few  hundred  yards  of 
their  source. 

GEOLOGY. 

The  geology,  like  that  of  Eussell,  is  comprised  between 
the  rocks  of  the  Lower  Silurian  and  Carboniferous  periods, 
including  some  of  the  Calciferous  limestones  below  and  a 
great  part  of  the  coal  measures  above. 

Beginning  on  the  south,  in  Clinch  Mountain,  Garden 
Mountain,  Rich  Mountain,  and  East  River  Mountain,  you 
encounter  the  series  holding  the  dyestone  group,  the  Oris- 
kany,  etc.,  dij^ping  southwardly,  at  angles  rarely  ever  ex- 
ceeding thirty-two  degrees.  Thence,  going  north,  you  see 
next,  on  the  north  of  these  mountains,  the  variously  colored 
limes  of  the  Hudson  epoch  ;  after  which  on  the  surface,  still 
generally  dipping  south,  the  Trenton  limestones ;  and  then, 
near  the  line  of  Clinch  River,  the  Calciferous  limestones,  a 
short  distance  north  of  which  is  the  great  fault  that  brings 
these  lower  rocks  up  into  contact  with  the  coal  measures ; 
thence,  northwardly,  for  an  average  width  of  three  miles,  on 
the  north  side  of  the  count}^  the  coal  aud  associated  sand- 
rocks,  slates,  etc.,  form  the  chief  feature.  The  accompany- 
ing cross  section  will  present  more  graj^hically  than  it  can 
be  written  the  order  of  position  of  the  different  strata,  and 
will  serve,  with  but  little  variation,  for  almost  any  part  of 
the  county  east  or  west.  In  the  descrij^tion  of  the  different 
ores,  etc.,  this  cross  section  will  be  more  fully  explained. 

lEON  OEES. 

To  use  an  old  comparison,  it  would  be  very  much  like  the 
play  of  Hamlet  with  Hamlet  left  out,  to  attempt  a  description 


TAZEWELL  COUNTY. 


173 


SanSy'RlS'g'i 


y 


Clinch  River 


\ 


Kent' 


a  Ridgi 


Deskins  Mtn. 


iPimt  Lick 


"< 


J 


Mtn. 


9- 


-S 


Wich  yC^ 


Clinch  3fJ 
Bear  Town. 


03 


-^vO^. 


tiJiMdcn  M, 


,,G 


s 


S^- 


.^ 


TaffTlISge 
Great 
Flat  Top 


•S 


Stony  Hidge 


Wright's  Valley 


Taylor's  & 

4  '    «  flB 


^1 


WMtelij's 
Ridge 


^^ 


y" 


§^\ 


HOk 


East  RivfT 
Mountain 


>o*. 


Sye's  Cove 
Buckfiarn  Jll.z  • 


*v^ 


Rich  J., 

Muunlaia 


174  TAZEWELL   CO. — IRON   OEES. 

of  Tazewell  with  the  iron  ores  left  out.  The  county  will 
always  be  famous  for  its  incomparable  grass  lands ;  but,  when 
any  line  of  transportation  shall  have  been  constructed  com- 
petent to  bring  the  ores  and  coal  of  Tazewell  into  communi- 
cation with  each  other  and  with  the  other  vast  beds  of  ore  in 
the  country, 'it  will  then  be  seen  that  the  iron  ores  are  quite 
capable  of  performing  the  great  task  of  bringing  as  much 
money  into  the  county  as  the  grass  lands  now  do  ;  and  more, 
of  helping  other  mining  enterprises  to  stimulate  farming  and 
grazing  to  a  much  higher  level  of  productiveness  and  profit 
to  individuals  and  the  county  at  large.  It  would  be  difiicult 
to  estimate  the  quantity  of  brown  ores  capable  of  being 
mined  in  the  line  of  Kent's  Eidge,  Baptist  Valley  Eidge, 
Whitely's  Eidge,  and  Taylor's  Eidge,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
admirable  ores  of  Nye's  Cove,  Clear  Fork,  and  other  places. 
But  to  begin  on  the  south  side  of  the  county,  taking  the 
various  lines  of  deposits  of  brown  ores,  seriatim,  through  to 
the  north  side,  will,  perhaps,  make  the  matter  clearer.  The 
first  brown  ores  on  the  south  side  of  consequence  are  those 
accompanied  with  manganese,  which  the  Oriskany  measures 
yield,  on  the  south  side  of  Clinch  Mountain,  bordering  Poor 
Yalley  on  the  north,  and  lying  in  this  county  along  where 
the  four  foot  road  to  Marion  crosses  ;  thence  east  toward  Bear 
Town.  These  measures  will  yield  disconnected  measures  of  a 
brown  iron  ore  of  high  grade  in  masses  sometimes  fifteen  feet 
thick  by  variable  lengths,  rarely  ever  exceeding  300  yards 
at  one  point ;  in  this,  following  the  habit  of  the  Oriskany 
measures  throughout  this  region.  Then  again,  in  the  Upper 
Helderberg  group,  nest  overlying  the  Oriskany,  a  brown  and 
red  hematite,  somewhat  silicious,  is  found  in  a  rather  regular 
measure,  about  five  feet  thick,  and  continuous  for  consider- 
able distances.  This  ore  is  usually  very  compact  and  hard, 
and  is  quite  a  new  feature  in  the  reading  of  the  geology  of 
this  section,  being  the  first  time  it  has  ever  been  brought 


TAZEWELL   CO. — lEON  ORES.  175 

before  tlie  public  tliat  this  particular  line  of  rocks  is  an  iron- 
bearing  formation.  It  is  unfortunate  that  these  ores  are  cut 
off  from  direct  communication  with  the  other  ore  beds  of 
Tazewell  by  the  Clinch  and  Garden  Mountains  intervening. 

Both  these  lines  of  ores  show  their  outcrops  at  an  eleva- 
tion cenerallv  of  about  150  feet  above  the  level  of  water  in 
the  small  creeks  near  by. 

In  the  south  of  Eich  Mountain  brown  ores  must  show 
again  in  respectable  bodies,  derived  from  the  same  system  of 
rocks.  Near  the  junction  of  Cove  Creek  with  Clear  Fork,  at 
the  southeastern  corner  of  the  county,  there  are  very  fine, 
easily  reducible  brown  ores  in  deposits  resulting  from  the 
decomposition  of  the  Oriskany  iron  stone  in  Buckhorn  Moun- 
tain. Then  up  this  Cove  Creek,  in  Nye's  Cove,  very  large 
boulders  of  this  soft  brown  ore  are  scattered  over  the  sur- 
face, to  the  left  of  the  mouth  of  the  cove  as  j'ou  enter.  In 
this  cove,  to  the  right  of  its  mouth,  is  Iron  Piidge,  an  eleva- 
tion of  about  350  feet  average,  so  named  from  the  large 
quantity  of  brown  ore  showing  on  it.  Then  again  on  the 
spurs  of  Buckliorn  and  East  River,  in  this  cove,  are  other 
large  bodies  of  brown  ore.  It  may  be  submitted  that  fully 
100,000  tons  could  be  easily  and  cheaply  obtained  here  at 
small  cost  for  mining,  without  going  to  any  appreciable  depth 
after  it. 

At  other  points  along  Buckliorn  and  East  Biver  Mountains, 
•west  of  Nye's  Cove,  the  Oriskany  and  Helderberg  series  are 
the  parent  iron  stores  from  which  are  derived  bodies  of  ex- 
cellent ore.  The  south  spurs  of  Paint  Lick  Mountain  like- 
wise show  deposits  of  brown  ore,  but  generally  mixed  with 
red  ore,  duo  to  tlie  decomposition  of  tlio  dyestone  series, 
which  occupies  a  great  part  of  the  crest  of  the  mountain. 

The  next  line  of  brown  ore  of  consequence  is  found  in  the 
well-marked  felspathic  flint  load  which  outcrops  in  a  lino 
generally  parallel  with,  and  close  to,  Clincli  River,  known  as 


176  TAZEWELL  CO. — RED  lEON   ORES. 

tlie  ores  of  Kent's  Eidge,  "Wliitely's  Kidge,  Taylor's  Kidge, 
and  Wright's  Valley  Ridge.  All  of  these  ridges  are  in  a  gen- 
eral line  toward  the  north  side  of  the  county,  a  mile  or  so 
south  of  the  great  fault  on  the  border  of  the  coal  measures  ; 
Kent's  Ridge  lying  westwardly,  and  Whitely's  and  Taylor's 
Ridges  being  toward  the  eastern  end  of  the  county.  Eleva- 
tion about  300  feet. 

This  series  of  rocks  lies  about  the  junction  of  the  Black 
River  and  Trenton  limes,  and,  in  all  probability,  marks  the 
closing  of  one  epoch  and  the  beginning  of  the  other.  The 
ore  vein  is  composed  of  brown  iron  ore  with  oxide  of  man- 
ganese, in  the  proportion  of  about  three  of  the  former  to  two 
of  the  latter.  At  a  few  points  here  and  there,  both  in  Taze- 
well and  Russell  Counties,  the  ores  of  these  ridges  have 
been  used  with  satisfaction  in  several  forges  now  out  of 
blast. 

After  this,  going  north,  near  the  Mouth  of  Indian,  and  at 
other  points  along  the  margin  of  the  coal  fields,  there  are 
brown  ores  showing  in  considerable  quantities,  which  may  be 
ascribed  to  the  decomposition  of  carbonates.  It  is  to  be  re- 
gretted that  so  few  developments  of  all  these  ore  deposits 
should  have  been  made ;  sufficient  evidence  is  given  by  the 
quantities  exposed  on  the  surface  to  prove  that  the  vast 
amount  of  material  which  has  decomposed  in  past  ages  has 
left  behind  immense  beds  of  ore,  besides  what  still  remains  in 
the  original  veins  below  the  zone  of  decomposition. 

Red  Iron  Ores. 

As  before  stated  there  is  red  ore  in  the  Upper  Helderberg 
flint  groups  on  the  south  of  Clinch  Mountain.  Higher  up  on 
this  mountain,  on  the  south,  is  the  band  in  dyestone  red 
iron  ore  in  the  Clinton  group,  about  eighteen  inches  or  two 
feet  thick,  generally  a  silicious  ore,  but  valuable  as  a  mixing 


TAZEWELL  CO. — lEON  PYRITES.  177 

ore.  This  vein  is  generally  continuous  in  this  part  of  the 
mountain,  and  is  about  800  feet  above  water  at  its  outcrop. 
Further  east,  in  Eich  Mountain,  in  Buckhorn  and  East  River' 
Mountains,  particularly  about  Nye's  Cove,  the  dyestone 
group  shows  in  large  sections  and  fragments. 

In  Paint  Lick  Mountain,  about  its  crest,  it  constitutes  the 
covering  of  the  great  cliff-like  wall  of  Oneida  sandstone, 
which  runs  for  seven  or  eight  miles  along  near  the  top  of  this 
mountain,  separated  from  it  by  sixty  feet  of  intervening 
Medina  sandstone  and  a  few  ledges  of  Clinton  Eed  sand- 
stone. The  vein  here  is  sixteen  inches  thick,  and  is  only  the 
lower  of  the  dyestone  veins.  Its  value  will  be  chiefly  as  an 
ore  to  mix  with  other  ores.  Its  quantity  may  be  taken  at  an 
average  width  of  200  feet  by  about  five  miles,  as  it  does  not 
form  a  continuous  belt,  but  is  sometimes  entirely  denuded. 
It  may  be  regarded  as  the  parent  of  much  of  the  ore  appear- 
ing in  the  deposits  in  the  valleys  below. 

North  of  this  line  there  are  no  appreciable  quantities  of 
red  ore  in  the  county,  except  that  occasionally  the  ores  in 
the  felspathic  flint,  above-mentioned,  sometimes  assume  the 
form  of  a  fine  specular  ore. 

Iron  Pyrites. 

It  is  not  yet  determined  that  the  source  of  the  brown  ores 
in  the  Oriskany  Rocks  is  pyrites,  but  it  may  be  assumed  tliat 
such  is  the  case  with  ore  in  the  Upper  Helderberg  rocks.  In 
the  lino  of  tlie  ores  in  the  felspathic  flint — mentioned  as  being 
about  the  division  between  the  Calciferous  and  Trenton 
limestones,  there  are,  no  doubt,  l)elow  Avater  level,  very  con- 
siderable quantities  of  pyrites.  In  the  coal  measures  there 
are  occasional  pieces  found,  not  generally  of  large  size. 

In  the  eastern  part  of  tlie  county,  near  the  Mercer  bound- 
ary line,  there  arc  ores  reported  of  a  slaty  structure. 
13 


178  TAZEWELL  CO. — COAL. 

MANGAJSTESE. 

Manganese  is  very  generally  distributed  tlirougli  the 
county.  There  are  some  beautiful  fragments  of  binoxide 
occasionally  found,  as  in  Wliitely's  Ridge,  Taylor's  Ridge, 
Kent's  Ridge,  Clincli  Mountain,  Nye's  Cove,  Buckliorn,  Yosts, 
etc. ;  but  no  developments  of  it  have  as  yet  been  made  to  an 
extent  suJQficient  to  give  a  very  fair  idea  of  quantity.  Judging 
from  surface  indications  there  must  be  a  great  deal  of  it. 

COXL. 

The  examinations  made  of  the  coal  veins  of  Tazewell,  on 
Middle  Creek,  Horse  Pen  Cove,  and  Abb's  Valley,  very  fully 
and  amply  sustain  all  the  declarations  made  by  Pkof.  J.  P. 
Lesley  and  others  as  to  the  size  of  the  veins,  the  quantity 
they  will  yield,  and  general  commercial  importance.  In  fact, 
it  may  safely  be  insisted  upon  that  these  veins  are  among  the 
most  valuable  of  their  kind  in  the  great  basin  to  which  they 
belong ;  not  only  on  account  of  the  thickness  of  some  of 
them,  but  the  cheapness  with  which  they  can  be  mined  and 
utilized,  once  the  question  of  transportation  is  settled. 

Beginning  with  Middle  Creek,  an  affluent  of  Clinch  River, 
just  below  the  mouth  of  Indian  Creek,  it  is  there  that  some 
of  the  most  reliable  readings  can  be  obtained,  both  as  to 
that  broad  fragment  of  the  measures  inclining  at  an  angle  of 
39''  southwardly,  and  the  area  close  at  hand,  to  the  north, 
giving  the  almost  horizontal  measures  ;  the  last  continuing, 
with  no  great  observable  interruption,  to  the  Ohio  River. 

Going  from  the  mouth  of  the  creek  up  about  one  and  three 
quarter  miles,  over  a  fragment  of  Devonian  rocks  brought  up 
by  the  thrust  of  Calciferous  limestones  against  that  side  of  the 
great  fault,  and  over  the  limestones  upon  which  this  fragment 
rides,  you  encounter  the  sandstones  and  slates  of  what  are 
presumably  the  Sub-Carboniferous  measures,  holding  eight  or 


TAZEWELL  CO. — COAL.  179 

nine  veins  of  coal  of  different  dimensions,  generally  dipping 
39°  south  20"  east. 

The  first  seven  encountered  liave  not  yet  been  opened ;  but 
the  eighth,  being  a  large  vein  of  good  bituminous  coal,  very 
suitable  for  use  in  smith  shops,  has  been  mined.  This  vein 
lies  between  head  and  foot- walls  of  slate,  with  50  inches  of 
good  coal  next  head-wall,  then  12  inches  of  slate  with 
9  inches  of  coal  next  foot-wall ;  under  this  15  feet  of  slate  ; 
then  54  inches  of  coal,  of  same  dip,  underlaid  with  slate  ; 
then,  at  about  two  and  a  half  miles  in  an  air  line  fi'om  the 
mouth  of  the  creek,  the  horizontal  measures  set  in  which 
continue  on  for  many  miles. 

These  veins,  to  which  the  one  measured  belongs,  may  be 
said  to  continue  for  a  great  many  miles  in  either  direction. 
In  this  immediate  vicinity  they  will  give  an  average  breast- 
ing, at  a  dip  of  39^,  of  about  380  feet  on  the  incline  above  the 
creeks,  which  cut  through  them  about  every  two  and  a  half 
miles.  It  is  so  easy  for  any  one  to  calculate  from  this  data 
the  probable  yield  of  this  one  vein  above  water,  that  it  is 
needless  to  give  it  here.  In  the  horizontal  measures,  this 
part  of  the  county  shows  one  vein  about  80  feet  below  the 
crest  of  Sandy  Ridge,  which  measures  4  feet  clear  coal,  and 
without  doubt  contains  a  half-dozen  other  good  workable 
veins,  although  there  are  no  developments  as  yet. 

Horse  Pen  Cove,  situated  about  eight  miles  northwardly 
from  Joffersonville,  the  county  site,  is  reported  to  contain 
not  onl}'  an  8-feet  vein  of  good  bituminous  coal,  but  cannol 
coal,  as  well  as  at  Middle  Creek.  Tlie  cannel  coal,  though 
good,  has  not  been  found  in  a  vein  over  3  foot  thick. 

Abb's  Valley  presents  no  inclined  dips  of  any  consequence 
in  the  coal  measures.  Tliey  are  almost  without  exception 
nearly  flat.  Near  Smith's  Store  4  feet  veins  are  found  close 
to  the  limestone  of  the  valley.  At  the  lower  end  of  the  val- 
ley, near  tlio  boundary  line  of  tlio  county  on  the  northeast 


180  TAZEWELL  CO. — LEAD  AKD   ZINC. 

side,  a  remarkable  vein  of  good  bituminous  coal,  11  feet 
thick,  with  a  parting  of  slate,  1  foot,  is  easily  accessible. 
This  vein  seems  to  lie  at  the  base  of  the  series  just  here,  and 
is  supposed  to  be  the  same  one  which  shows  near  water  level 
on  Dump's  Creek,  in  Kussell  County,  there  recorded  9  feet 
4  inches. 

Enough  has  been  said  to  show  that  great  quantities  of  coal 
and  iron  exist  in  Tazew^ell.  Forty  miles  length  of  each,  by 
variable  thicknesses  and  widths,  will  present  to  the  mind  of 
the  reader  an  idea  of  vastness,  without  the  necessity  to  go 
into  minute  calculations  to  prove  the  assertion  that  the 
county  will  one  day  be  as  much  noted  for  its  mining  and 
manufacturing,  as  it  is  now  for  its  incomparable  grass  fields. 


LEAD  AND  ZINC. 

Small  pieces  of  lead  and  zinc  ores  are  occasionally  found 
in  the  Kent's  Kidge  line  of  iron  and  manganese  measures, 
and  near  the  end  of  Taylor's  Eidge,  in  the  eastern  end  of  the 
county,  about  twelve  or  thirteen  miles  from  Jeffersonville, 
and  two  miles  east  of  Springville.  This  lead  ore  really  comes 
from  a  stratum  of  dolomite,  lying  apparently  about  200  feet 
below  the  felspathic  flint  lead,  which  marks  the  iron  and 
manganese  above  mentioned.  In  Nye's  Cove,  and  occasion- 
ally at  other  places,  the  Lower  Helderberg  limes  show  in 
thicknesses  varying  between  6  or  8  feet  and  75  feet.  These 
rocks  hold  small  quantities  of  lead  and  zinc  ores,  but  are  not 
supposed  to  exist  in  sufficient  quantities  to  pay  for  working. 
Also  in  the  Marcellus  black  shales  and  slates  small  crystals 
of  lead  ore  now  and  then  show.  These  measures  are  observ- 
able in  only  a  few  places  in  Tazewell  County — Nye's  Cove, 
and  a  part  of  the  south  of  Clinch  Mountain,  west  of  Burk's 
Garden. 


TAZEWELL  CO. — BUILDING  STONES.  181 

BARYTES. 

Baryta  seems  to  exist  in  tlie  county  in  sufficient  quantities 
to  satisfy  all  the  demands  of  trade  in  that  article.  A  fifteen 
feet  vein  runs  on  the  north  side  of  Clinch  Kiver  through  the 
Cavitt's  Creek  countr}-,  and  down  through  the  Baptist  Valley 
ridges  all  the  way  into  Eussell  County,  where  it  shows 
on  the  north  side  of  Clinch  River.  This  measure  is  between 
walls  of  flint  on  one  side  and  dolomitic  limestone  on  the 
other,  in  places;  but  it  varies  in  thickness  and  quality 
very  much.  Where  it  is  easily  observable — as  at  a  point  in 
the  main  road  leading  from  Jeffersonville  toward  Baptist 
Valley,  on  the  north  side  of  Clinch  Eiver — it  shows  well  for 
thickness  and  quality.  It  appears  to  occupy  a  position  about 
five  hundred  feet  above  the  felspathic  flint  lead  above  men- 
tioned. 

COPPEE. 

Copper  ore  is  sometimes  found  in  traces  in  the  felspathic 
flint,  which  it  may  be  as  well  to  repeat,  is  the  stratum  which 
lies  nea»  the  division  between  the  Calciferous  and  Trenton 
limes — carrying  the  iron  and  manganese  ores. 

SALT. 

Falling  Waters,  toward  the  northwestern  border  of  the 
county,  seems  to  ofi'or  a  true  salt  basin.  Tlie  salt-bearing 
series  underlies  this  part  of  the  valley,  and  would  no  doubt 
yield  brine  if  properly  hunted  after.  A  few  miles  lower  down 
the  Clinch  Eiver  not  only  salt  but  petroleum  seems  to  have 
been  discovered  oozing  from  the  surface,  but  as  yet  nothing 
has  been  done  of  a  satisfactory  nature  toward  the  develop- 
ment of  the  field. 

BUILDING   STONES. 

Numerous  ledges  of  botli  lime  and  sandstone  exist  in  vari- 
ous parts  of  the  county  very  well  suited  to  building  puri)oses. 


182  TAZEWELL   CO. — MINERAL   SPRINGS. 

Some  of  tlie  limes  are  even  ornamental,  as  those  lying  in  such 
masses  in  the  hills  north  of  and  about  the  court-house  ;  no 
doubt  the  same  gray  masses  which  are  near  the  division  be- 
tween the  Trenton  and  Hudson  epochs. 

The  sandstones,  fit  for  building  purposes,  are  those 
abounding  in  the  coal  measures,  many  masses  of  which  are 
soft  when  quarried,  but  become  very  hard  on  exposure. 

soapstont: 

Is  found  in  ledges  quite  frequently  as  highly  magnesian 
limestone,  but  no  true  steatite  is  found.  Occasionally  near 
the  coal  veins  impure  silicate  of  magnesia  shows  itself  in 
thin  beds. 

MARBLE. 

The  large  beds  of  variegated  and  gray  limes,  which  have 
such  a  character  as  fine  marble  in  Kussell  and  Scott  counties 
farther  west,  seem  to  have  lost  their  distinctive  character  as 
such  in  Tazewell,  and  are  not  in  such  masses.  In  this  it  is 
not  asserted  that  there  is  no  marble  in  the  county,  for  the 
strata  about  the  base  of  the  Hudson  epoch,  near  the  northern 
bases  of  the  larger  mountains,  must  show  occasional  beds. 

MINERAL   SPRINGS. 

The  Tazewell  Springs,  a  sulphur  spring  situated  five 
miles  northwest  from  Jeifersonville  near  the  Sandy  turnpike, 
is  a  white  sulphur  water,  containing  such  constituents  as  to 
render  it  diaphoretic  in  its  effects.  It  is  a  good  spring  of  its 
kind,  and  was  at  one  time,  before  the  era  of  railroads,  a  place 
of  resort.  Now  that  a  railroad  is  likely  soon  to  be  con- 
structed near  it,  will  command  attention  again. 

At  Mouth  of  Indian,  or  Cedar  Bluffs,  there  is  a  fine  white 
sulphur  spring  on  the  bank  of  Clinch  River,  in  a  lovely  and 


TAZEWELL   CO. — TDIBER.  183 

romantic  situation.  The  water  is  cliarged  with  sulphate  of 
magnesia  and  other  valuable  constituents,  and  flows  from  a 
series  of  magnesian  rocks  not  far  from  the  line  of  fissure  sepa- 
rating the  limestones  from  the  coal  measures.  This  spring 
has  been  provided  with  a  neat  basin  hollowed  out  of  a  single 
stone  ;  and  its  fine  curative  powers,  combined  with  its  very- 
convenient  location,  will  make  it  a  place  of  resort  when  a 
railway  is  built  near  it,  and  is  even  now  much  visitod. 

At  Mustard's,  in  the  eastern  middle  portion  of  the  county 
near  some  of  the  head  springs  of  Clinch  River,  are  eight  fine 
mineral  springs  very  close  together.  Two  of  these  come  up  on 
two  sides  of  one  thin  ledge  of  limestone,  one  apparently  is  an 
arsenical  spring,  the  other  a  blue  sulphur,  while  the  charac- 
ter of  the  others  has  not  been  determined.  These  springs  are 
regarded  as  highly  curative  by  those  who  have  tried  them  ; 
they  yield  a  fine  supply  of  water.  In  many  other  places  in 
the  county  mineral  springs  break  out,  but  the  above  men- 
tioned are  those  which  command  the  confidence  of  those  who 
have  tried  them  as  curative  agents. 

TIMBER. 

This  subject  is  difficult  to  treat  with  justice  in  a  few  words. 
The  widespread  fertility  of  the  soil  in  Tazewell  gave  the 
county  at  one  time  a  very  large  proportion  of  walniit,  maple, 
poplar,  linn,  cucumber,  etc.  It  is  true  that  immense  quanti- 
ties of  these  valuable  trees  have  been  destroyed  in  clearing 
the  lands,  but  that  very  large  quantities  still  remain  is  equally 
true.  Every  tree  that  this  latitude  is  capable  of  producing 
seems  to  grow  to  its  utmost  limit  of  size  and  beauty  in  Taze- 
well County,  among  wliiili  may  be  mentioned,  wliito  and 
black  walnut,  poplar,  cherry,  linn,  cucumboi',  Avalioo,  liickory, 
ash,  white  oak,  chestnut  oak,  rod  oak,  lilack  oak,  pin  (»a]<, 
and  other  varieties  of  oak,  maple  sugar  tree,  or  largo  majjlo, 


184  TAZEWELL   CO. — WATER  POWER. 

buckeye,  mountain  maliogan^',  birch,  beecli,  dogwood,  locust, 
elm,  sycamore,  yellow  pine,  black  pine,  white  pine,  cedar, 
hemlock,  or  spruce  pine,  and  upon  some  of  the  higher  points, 
such  as  Bear  Town,  extensive  forests  of  balsam  fir.  .Among 
the  shrubs  and  flowering  plants  there  are  many  of  the 
most  beautiful.  In  the  spring  the  wide-spreading  woodlands 
are  resonant  with  the  songs  of  birds  of  varied  j^lumage,  not 
yet  invaded  by  that  murderous  nuisance  the  English  sparrow. 
To  attempt  to  fix  a  commercial  value  upon  the  woods  of 
Tazewell,  would  be  idle.  That  can  only  be  determined  by 
the  facilities  which  any  line  of  railway  running  through  the 
county  may  present.  The  walnut  is  in  sufficient  quantity  to 
be  the  source  of  a  sjolendid  revenue.  Such  is  ■  the  case  with 
many  other  trees.  Sugar  tree,  mountain  mahogany,  and  other 
ornamental  woods,  besides  white  oak,  will  supply  a  large 
demand.  In  many  localities,  such  as  Nye's  Cove,  the  chest- 
nut oak  will  yield  immensely  in  tan-bark.  From  this  last 
source  the  county  will  derive  a  very  considerable  revenue. 

WATER  POWER. 

The  average  fall  of  the  larger  streams  of  the  county  being 
rather  over  than  under  twenty-five  feet  per  mile,  it  may  safely 
be  assumed  that  there  is  abundance  of  water  power  in  the 
county.  Clinch  River  discharges  near  the  Mouth  of  Indian 
about  185  cuT)ic  feet  per  second,  and  has  sufficient  fall 
there  to  give  three  very  good  powers  within  two  miles. 
Thence  all  the  way  up  this  stream  to  near  its  source 
on  the  main  branch  and  tributaries,  it  is  used  to  run 
grist  and  saw-mills,  carding  machines,  woolen  factories,  etc. 
Maiden  Spring  Fork,  scarcely  inferior  in  size  to  the  Clinch 
Eiver,  ofiers  many  mill  sites,  its  fall  being  steeper.  Blue 
Stone  Eiver,  in  the  eastern  section  of  the  county,  and  the 
Clear  Fork  of  Wolf  Creek,  are  somewhat  smaller  than  Clinch 


TAZEWELL   CO. — AGRICULTUEE.  185 

Kiver  at  Mouth  of  Indian,  but  they  supply  numerous  water 
powers,  only  about  one  half  of  which  are  in  use.  Cove  Creek, 
the  stream  which  comes  out  of  Nye's  Cove,  offers  very  good 
water  power.  Many  small  streams  offer  limited  powers  which 
would  be  useful  for  grinding.  The  never-failing  character  of 
these  streams  is  one  of  their  chief  recommendations.  A 
power  calculated  upon  their  ordinary  discharge  may  be  relied 
upon. 

MANUFACTURES. 

Hitherto  manufactures  have  not  been  very  carefully  fostered 
in  this  community,  but  of  recent  years  some  very  successful 
efforts  have  been  made  in  that  direction.  The  woolen  mill, 
two  and  a  half  miles  east  of  Jeffersonville  on  that  branch  of 
Clinch  River,  annually  cards  and  spins  a  great  deal  of  the  wool 
of  that  vicinity  and  neighboring  counties,  and  turns  out  a  very 
creditalile  line  of  goods  from  its  looms.  Efforts  are  being 
made  to  increase  the  capacity  of  the  woolen  mills  just  above 
the  Mouth  of  Indian,  which  have  so  long  been  in  operation 
there.  The  locality  is  one  that  invites  enterprise  and  capital. 
At  this  place  is  situated  a  tobacco  factory  having  a  capacity 
of  about  150,000  pounds  of  manufactured  tobacco.  Both  it 
and  the  fine  furniture  factory,  located  at  the  same  place,  will 
be  greatly  stimulated  by  the  building  of  a  railroad  through 
that  section. 

AGRICULTURE. 

In  speaking  of  this  suljject  it  is  difficult  to  avoid  the  use  of 
effusive  language.  With  the  exception  of  a  part  of  the  coal  belt, 
perhaps  three  fourths  of  its  area  is  capable  of  producing  fine 
grass,  notwithstanding  the  county  is  traversed  in  its  greatest 
length  l)y  more  than  one  of  the  liigliest  mountains  in  the 
Appalachian  Cliain.  Even  n])<)ii  tlie  very  summits  of  some 
of  these  lofty  ridges  tliere  arc  extensive  grass  fields,  upon 


186  TAZEWELL    CO. — AGRICULTURE. 

wliicli  a  large  number  of  cattle,  sheep,  horses,  etc.,  graze 
annually. 

Nature  may  have  endowed  other  portions  of  the  country 
equally  with  Tazewell  in  the  distribution  of  her  choice  gifts ; 
but  it  is  doubtful  if  any  other  locality  unites  so  many  advan- 
tages adapted  to  grazing  purjDoses  as  may  be  found  here. 
Not  only  is  the  grass  a  natural  product,  and  of  a  highly  nutri- 
tious kind,  but  the  fields  are  nearly  all  without  excejDtion 
well  watered,  and  the  small  insects,  flies,  mosquitoes,  etc., 
which  annoy  cattle  so  much  at  other  places,  are  either  absent, 
or  have  so  short  a  season  in  which  to  p\j  their  vocation  that 
they  are  not  injurious.  With  the  least  economy  and  care  these 
truly  magnificent  grass  fields  would  sustain  a  fine  population 
in  greater  independence,  ease,  and  even  luxury  than  any  other 
section  except  the  nearly  similar  districts  of  neighboring 
counties.  Throughout  nearly  all  the  valleys  and  far  up,  even 
to  the  crests  on  some  of  the  mountains,  the  highly  fossil-bear- 
ing limes  of  the  Trenton  and  Hudson  epochs  are  adding 
annually  a  new  suj^ply  of  fertilizing  material  to  the  soil, 
decomposing  to  some  extent  with  every  rain  in  summer,  and 
more  with  each  freeze  and  thaw  of  winter.  The  fossil  shells 
of  these  rocks  are  easily  detected  in  nearly  every  ledge  ;  and, 
being  charged  to  some  extent  with  phosphate  of  lime,  it  is 
easy  to  understand  how  their  decomposition  will  affect  the 
soil  beneficially.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  cite  localities  in 
which  these  resiilts  are  prominently  brought  out.  To  use  a 
common  expression,  they  are  all  over.  The  Cove,  Burk's 
Garden,  about  Liberty,  Maiden  Spring,  the  river  two  miles 
east  of  Jeffersonville,  Wright's  Yalley,  Abb's  Yalley,  Blue 
Stone,  Clear  Fork,  localities  about  Baptist  Yalley,  the  river, 
the  slopes  of  the  mountains — and  where  not  ? 

Not  only  is  the  land  productive  of  the  fine  grasses,  such 
as  blue  grass — which  is  natural — with  Randal  grass,  clover, 
timothy,  orchard  grass,  herd's  grass  and  the  like ;  but  corn, 


TAZEWELL  CO. — SCENERY.  187 

wheat,  rye,  oats,  barley,  buckwlieat,  and  all  vegetables  yield 
largely  in  the  rich  soil. 

It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  Tazewell  stands  almost  alone 
in  Virginia  for  unaided  natural  capacity  as  an  agricultural 
county. 

SCENERY, 

If  attractive  scenery  can  lend  anything  to  the  interest  which 
might  be  induced  by  the  other  valuable  features  of  the  county, 
Tazewell  could  easily  suj^ply  all  that  would  be  needed  for  the 
purpose,  though  the  ability  to  paint  or  describe  it  might  be 
wanting.  Burk's  Garden  is  an  emerald  sea  in  the  spring  time, 
with  waving  trees  and  noble  pastures.  3,200  feet  is  its  eleva- 
tion above  the  ocean,  with  its  border  encircled  by  the  Clinch 
Eange  of  mountains,  some  peaks  of  which — as  Bear  Town — 
attain  an  elevation  of  4,700  feet.  Burk's  Garden,  though 
often  described,  it  may  be  repeated,  is  about  eight  miles  long 
from  northeast  to  southwest,  and  about  four  and  a  half  miles 
wide.  It  looks  as  though  it  had  once  been  a  mountain  lake,  the 
waters  of  which  had  burst  their  way  through  tlie  northern  es- 
carpment that  helped  to  hold  it,  leaving  the  beautiful  trout 
stream  tliat  now  pours  through  the  gorge  to  mark  its  course. 
Geologically  it  rests  in  the  center  of  one  of  the  only  great 
anticlinals  in  this  section  of  the  country.  The  groat  moun- 
tain, containing  the  Upper  and  Lower  Silurian  rocks,  having 
been  partially  folded  by  a  great  pressure  from  the  southeast, 
seems  to  have  been  parted  along  the  crest  of  the  anticlinal 
fold  by  a  pressure  subsequently  exerted  from  the  opposite 
direction,  caijsing  it  to  spread  apart,  leaving  tlio  limestones 
toward  the  base  intorjoctod  between  each  other,  so  as  to 
loriu  (ho  great  plain  uow  known  us  the  great  gi*ass-producing 
Burk's  Garden.  There  is  no  telling  how  nuicli  of  it  has  been 
denuded  and  washed  away  in  the  course  of  time.  Surround- 
ing mountains  and  all  must  at  one  time  have  occupied  a 
much  higher  position  than  they  now  do. 


188  TAZEWELL   CO. — SCENERY. 

Thompson's  and  Ward's  Coves  form  tlie  wings  of  a  great 
opening  in  the  great  mountain  belt,  somewhat  similar  in 
character  to  Burk's  Garden,  and  offer,  together  with  the 
country  about  Maiden  Spring,  Liberty,  and  Paint  Lick  Moun- 
tain, with  its  high,  wall-like  cliffs  painted  by  the  Indians,  a 
piece  of  landscape  scenery  of  marvelous  beauty. 

From  Dial  Eock,  which  is  near  the  western  terminus  of 
East  River  Mountain,  all  that  vast  plain,  with  its  grassy 
fields  and  wooded  hills,  about  Jeffersonville,  and  the  country 
east  and  north,  look  like  the  realization  of  Eden.  From  this 
point,  the  mountains  seem  to  be  marshaled  rank  after  rank, 
as  far  as  the  eye  can  see.  In  some  lights,  the  beholder  is 
almost  persuaded  the  great  silent  scene  will  take  motion  and 
march  away. 

Space  forbids  further  attempt  to  eulogize  in  tame  language 
a  subject  so  perfect  fi'om  the  hand  of  nature.  To  see  it  only 
can  it  be  realized. 

The  game  and  fish  of  the  county  are  interesting  subjects. 
A  few  bears  still  roam  in  the  high  woods  and  thick  laurel 
of  Bear  Town  Mountain,  and  the  bass  in  the  streams  furnish 
fine  sport. 

The  Fruits  of  the  county  are  all  those  wdiich  this  latitude 
produces  so  abundantly,  and  Tazewell  fares  like  the  rest  in 
being  very  certain  of  a  good  apple  crop  annually,  with  the 
peaches  only  somewhat  doubtful. 

Grape  culture  has  been  very  carefully  attended  to  by 
several  prominent  gentlemen  at  the  court-house  and  two  or 
three  miles  east  of  there.  In  fact,  these  gentlemen  have 
clearly  demonstrated  the  high  perfection  to  which  the  native 
varieties  can  be  brought  by  proper  training  and  attention. 

Bee  culture  is  engaging  the  attention  of  the  people  more 
and  more  every  year,  and  with  the  proper  stimulus  in  the 
way  of  transportation,  would  eventually  become  a  paying 
industry. 


TAZEWELL   CO. — TOWNS  AND   VILLAGES.  189 

TRADE  O  CATTLE,    SHEEP,  WOOL,  WHEAT,  CORN,  AND   TOBACCO. 

Cattle  annually  sold  from  the  county. . .  .11,500  head 
(Of  this  number  a  proportion,  which  increases  annually, 
goes  to  Europe.) 

Sheep 10,000  head 

Wool,  which  is  more  than  half  used  at 

home 30,000  pounds 

Wheat 65,000  bushels 

Corn 8,000      " 

Tobacco 10,000  pounds 

There  being  no  transportation  now  to  distant  markets,  very 
little  more  wheat  and  corn  are  raised  than  will  sujiply  the 
home  demand. 

The  trade  in  horses  and  mules  is  not  very  considerable, 
hardly  enough  to  merit  a  notice.  There  is  a  decided  spirit 
of  improvement  gaining  ground  in  the  minds  of  the  people 
with  reference  to  all  classes  of  stock. 

TOWT^S   AND   VILLAGES. 

JeffersonviJle,  the  county  site,  is  the  chief  place.  It  con- 
tains good  schools,  churches  of  diiferent  denominations, 
stores  well  supplied  with  everything  generally  sold  in  the 
better  districts  of  country,  hotels,  and  shops  of  various 
kinds  for  the  repair  of  wagons,  plows,  smithing,  etc. 

Liberty  is  a  village  nine  miles  southwest  from  Jeffersonville, 
supplied  with  a  hotel,  stores,  etc. 

Mouth  of  Indian,  or  Cedar  Bluff,  at  the  junction  of  Indian 
Creek  with  Clinch  lliver,  is  sixteen  miles  west  of  the  court- 
house, a  thriving  place,  having  a  hotel,  stores,  furniture  and 
tobacco  factories,  saw  and  grist-mills,  and  will  become  a 
manufacturing  center,  being  within   a  mile    or   two   of  the 


190  RUSSELL  CO. — HOW  BOUNDED. 

great  coal  deposits   on  one  side   and  tlie  iron  ore  on  tlie 
other. 

Springville  and  FaTTs  Mills  are  in  tlie  eastern  part  of  tlie 
county,  and  tliey,  with  several  other  places  of  that  size,  form 
good  trading  places  for  their  respective  neighborhoods. 

PUBLIC    SCHOOLS. 

Tazewell  has  always  been  careful  to  keep  up  its  jiublic 
schools.  The  appearance  of  the  school-houses  attests  this 
fact,  and  now  her  schools  seem  to  be  more  prosperous  than 
they  were  some  years  back. 


EUSSELL  COUNTY. 

This  large  county  is  noted  for  its  fine  grass  lands,  its  coal, 
timber,  and  marble.  It  is  not  without  large  and  valuable 
iron  ore  deposits  ;  but  its  high  character  for  extensive  areas  of 
fine  blue-grass  lands,  thick  coal  veins,  and  heavily  timbered 
forests  composed  of  valuable  woods,  give  it  a  name  for  both 
beauty  and  fertility,  as  an  agricultural,  mineral,  and  timbered 
county,  shared  by  only  a  few  of  the  other  counties  in  the 
State.  Could  any  landscape  exceed  in  beauty  Rosedale  and 
Elk  Garden?  They  are  only  equaled  by  a  few  places  in 
Southwestern  Virginia.  In  Eussell,  they  may  find  almost  a 
counterpart  in  Cassel's  Woods,  some  parts  of  the  county 
toward  Hansonville  and  Dickinsonville,  and  occasional  spots 
about  New  Garden,  including  the  river  scenery  afforded  by 
the  different  branches  of  Clinch  River.  It  is  singular  that  so 
much  natural  wealth  should  have  lain  so  long  among  so 
progressive  a  people  without  fuller  development. 

HOW   BOUNDED. 

Russell  is  about  34  miles  long  from  east  to  west,  and  18 
miles  wide  from  north  to  south.     The  broad  dividing  ridge 


EUSSELL  CO. — GEOLOGY   OF  EUSSELL.  191 

whicli  separates  the  waters  of  Clincli  Kiver  from  those  of 
Sandy  Elver  marks  its  northern  boundary  line,  the  next 
county  north  being  Buchanan  County.  South,  Kussell  is 
diAdded  from  Washington  County  by  Clinch  Mountain,  a  great 
barrier  which  runs  a  course  about  north  70^  east  for  many 
miles  through  this  section  of  Virginia.  West  it  is  bounded 
by  Scott  County,  and  east  by  Tazewell. 

HOW  WATEEED. 

The  county  is  well  watered,  mainly  by  Clinch  Eiver  and  its 
tributaries  occupying  the  northern  half  of  the  county.  Its 
southwest  section  has  a  considerable  length  of  Moccasin 
Creek,  a  tributary  of  Holston  River. 

GEOLOGY  OF  EUSSELL. 

Eussell,  on  the  south,  shows  the  rocks  of  the  Upper  Silu- 
rian age  dipping  southwardly.  As  you  proceed  north  you 
pass  over  the  edges  of  the  next  lower  strata,  through  the 
Hudson  Eiver  and  part  of  the  Trenton  limestones,  etc.,  until 
you  reach  the  great  fault,  north  of  the  line  of  Clinch  Eiver, 
which  marks  the  southern  limit  of  the  great  KanaAvha  Coal 
Basin.  Then  for  about  five  miles  you  are  in  the  coal  rocks, 
carrying  you  to  the  northern  boundary  line. 

Nearly  all  the  strata  of  rocks  pass  through  the  county  from 
northeast  to  southwest,  in  a  direction  parallel  with  the  course 
of  the  mountain  ranges ;  and  hence  a  description  of  a  section 
taken  at  nearly  any  north  and  south  line  will  have  its  mate- 
rial points  very  much  the  same. 

The  Clinch  Mountain  Eange,  having  been  subjected  to  some 
cross  flexures  and  end  compressions,  is  duplicated  more  than 
once  in  Eussell  ;  hence  the  iron  ores,  Avliich  are  common  to 
the  rocks  of  Avlii(;h  it  is  com  posed,*  are  l)rouglit  out  in  con- 
Biderablo    quantities.      Thus,    the    southern  border   of    the 


192  EUSSELL  CO. — GEOLOGY  OF  EUSSELL. 

county  is  marked  by  the  dyestone  and  Oriskany  series — 
mainly  on  the  mountain  crests — giving  valuable  deposits  at 
intervals  along  the  south  boundary  of  the  dyestone  or  fossil 
red  ore  of  very  high  grade,  and  of  the  brown  ores  of  the 
Oriskany.  In  the  latter  may  also  be  found  respectable  quan- 
tities of  manganese.  Very  frequently  the  Hudson  Eiver 
limestones  form  the  crests  of  these  southern  hills  and  moun- 
tains— as  in  the  case  of  Rich  Mountain — which,  by  the 
decomposition  of  their  highly  fossiliferous  strata,  make  a 
rich  and  enduring  soil,  well  adapted  to  grass,  which  is  of 
spontaneous  growth.  Passing  north  a  few  hundred  yards  to 
the  northern  foot  of  the  Clinch  Eange,  you  meet  with  the 
thick  ledges  of  variegated  stone  about  the  division  between 
the  Trenton  and  Hudson  series,  looking  now  and  then  as  if  it 
would  make  a  fine  marble.  Close  under  this,  outcropping  to 
the  north,  is  a  thick  band  of  gray  and  pink  marble,  having  a 
fine  texture,  and  admitting  of  a  high  polish.  Passing  north- 
wardly, over  Trenton  limestones  dipping  in  various  direc- 
tions, you  reach  Copper  Ridge,  which  is  a  continuation 
southwestwardly  of  Paint  Lick  and  House  and  Barn  Moun- 
tains, with  the  iron  ore  formation  of  No.  4  generally  denuded. 
The  lower  rocks  of  the  Trenton  in  this  ridge,  holding  the 
ledges  of  felsj^athic  material,  seem  to  be  brought  up  to  the 
surface,  occasionally  showing  good  deposits  of  iron  ores  and 
fine  crystals  of  manganese.  In  a  short  distance  northwardly 
you  reach  Clinch  River,  close  to  which,  on  the  north  side,  is 
the  great  fault,  which  brings  an  upthrow  of  Lower  Silurian 
limestone  in  contact  with  the  coal  rocks.  Between  the  river 
and  this  fault  is  a  rq^ge  of  flint  measures  extending  north- 
east and  southwest  through  the  county,  which,  for  the  greater 
part,  yields  about  15  feet  thickness  of  fine  barytes,  occasion- 
ally showing  fine  crystals  of  lead  and  a  trace  of  carbonate  of 
cojjper.  » 

The  rocks    along  here  generally   dip  southwardly.       The 


BUSSELL   CO. — GEOLOGY  OF  RUSSELL. 


193 


Sandy  UiSgQ 


BincJi  Fiver 


Bids^ 


€opper  JRidgB 


House  &  Barn  MauntaiM 


LE  BE4R  TJWN 


Uinch  JSounlain 


^^ 


SI 
Co 

Co 


s 


19 


194  BUSSELL   CO. — IRON    OEES. 

fault  alluded  to  is  frequently  a  double  one  ;  that  is,  between 
the  limestones  and  the  horizontal  coal  rocks  there  is  a  great 
fragment  of  the  coal  strata  dipping  southwardly  at  a  high 
angle,  separated  from  the  more  regular  measures  on  the 
north  by  a  distinct  line. 

After  this,  until  you  reach  the  northern  boundary  line, 
mainly  on  the  crest  of  Sandy  Kidge,  you  are  in  regular  meas- 
ures of  nearly  horizontal  lying  strata  of  coal  rocks. 


lEON    GEES. 

It  would  be  very  difficult  to  form  an  estimate  of  the  prob- 
able quantities  of  different  ores  in  the  county  of  Eussell. 
The  fossil  red,  of  a  very  high  grade,  is  about  two  feet  thick, 
in  several  small  veins,  in  discontinuous  measures,  in  Clinch 
Mountain.  Broiun  iron  ores  of  the  Oriskany,  in  the  same 
mountain,  are  subject  to  the  same  conditions  as  the  fossil 
ores,  and  so  are  the  manganese  ores.  The  brown  ores  in 
Kent's  Ridge  and  the  river  hills,  along  down  the  line  of  the 
Clinch,  are  due  to  the  decomposition  of  a  vein  of  sulpliuret, 
which  is  found  throughout  this  tier  of  counties,  about  the 
junction  of  the  Black  Kiver  and  Trenton  limestones  ;  also  on 
Cedar  Creek,  two  and  a  half  miles  east  of  Lebanon,  near  an 
old  forge  site.  This  line  of  ores  will  prove  to  be  an  interest- 
ing adjunct  to  any  railway  line  located  near  Clinch  River. 
The  thickness  may  be  placed  at  six  feet.  The  House  and 
Barn  Mountain,  on  the  east  side  of  the  county,  has  unfortu- 
nately been  long  denuded  of  the  masses  of  dyestone  ore  which 
once  crowned  it ;  and  it  now  only  shows  a  deposit  here  and 
there,  sufficient  to  delude  the  unwary  into  the  belief  that 
there  are  still  large  quantities  of  ore  about  the  mountain. 

It  is  possible  that  the  ores  now  and  then  showing  in  Cop- 
per Ridge  are  the  same  in  character  and  origin  as  those  in 
Kent's  Ridge  and  the  river  hills. 


RUSSELL  CO. — moN.  195 

COAL. 

There  is  notliing  left  to  conjecture  concerning  the  coal  in 
this  county,  except,  perhaps,  its  exact  geological  age.  Where 
the  veins  are  known  to  be  so  continuous,  with  good  measures 
and  occupying  such  an  area,  their  position  in  proper  geologi- 
cal succession  is  not  of  so  much  consequence.  It  may  safely 
be  assumed  that  a  great  part  of  the  Lower  Measures  is  here 
represented.  The  area  in  this  county  is  about  100  square 
miles.    The  veins  are  thick  and  some  of  them  are  of  cannel  coal. 

Up  the  Hurricane  Fork  of  Dumps  Creek,  the  lowest  vein 
in  sight — at  the  bed  of  the  creek,  near  Grisell's — measured 
nine  feet  four  inches,  pitch  one  in  twenty,  south  80^  east,  with 
head-wall  of  slate  fifteen  feet  thick,  overlaid  with  thin  bedded 
sandstones  ;  foot-wall  eight  inches  of  clay  slate,  underlaid  by 
heavy  sandstones  of  rather  irregular  formation.  This  coal  is 
of  the  flaming  bituminous  variety. 

One  hundred  and  fifty  feet  above  this  is  a  vein  of  very 
much  the  same  kind  of  coal,  nearly  five  feet  thick,  croj)ping 
out  at  Kasnicks.  One  hundred  feet  above  this  is  another 
vein  of  good  coal,  not  yet  measured  at  that  point  for  want  of 
proper  openings.  Fifty  feet  over  this  is  a  vein  of  cannel 
coal  eleven  inches  thick,  underlaid  by  quartzose,  blackish 
sandstone,  underlaid  again  by  a  heavy  band  of  sandstone; 
the  roof  is  three  and  a  half  feet  of  slate,  overlaid  by  about 
100  feet  of  sandstone.  Over  this  is  a  series  of  sandstones 
and  slates,  with  veins  of  coal,  running  up  to  an  elevation 
above  the  creek  of  about  1,000  feet. 

It  was  impossiV)le  to  get  at  the  exact  number  and  thickness 
of  the  veins  in  the  series  here.  No  developments  of  the  veins 
outcropping  any  distance  above  the  creeks  have  been  made  ; 
but,  that  the  coal  exists  in  good  veins,  at  intervals,  all  the  way 
to  the  tops  of  the  hills  is  a  fact  revealed  here  and  there  by 
land-slides  in  the  steeper  hollows  and  wet  places. 


196  RUSSELL   CO. — LIMESTOKE. 

The  reading  obtained  on  Dumps  Creek,  witli  some  varia- 
tions in  the  measures,  will  give  a  fair  idea  of  the  whole. 

Mill  Creek,  Sword's  Creek,  the  upper  end  of  Lewis  Creek, 
Thompson's  Creek,  Weaver's  Creek,  and  Lick  Creek,  as  well 
as  Dumps  Creek,  rise  in  the  coal  measures  and  cut  deep  sec- 
tions as  they  pass  through  the  coal  rocks  on  their  way  to 
Clinch  River. 

LEAD  AND   ZINC. 

There  is  an  outcropping  of  baryta-bearing  rocks  on  the 
north  side  of  Clinch  Kiver,  not  far  below  the  junction  of 
Maiden  Spring  Fork,  which  also  shows  some  lead  sulphuret; 
but  it  is  not  probable  that  any  workable  veins  will  be  discov- 
ered.    Zinc  is  not  found  in  any  quantity. 

BAEYTES. 

Barytes,  in  a  vein  about  fifteen  feet  thick,  is  found  in  the 
series  of  rocks  about  the  upper  j^art  of  the  Calciferous  rocks, 
marked  by  beds  of  felspathic  flint.  The  quantity  of  barytes 
in  the  county,  along  the  line  of  hills  bordering  Clinch  Kiver 
on  the  north,  must  be  enormous.  So  far  as  observed  it  must 
afford  an  immense  tonnage  to  any  railway  line  that  might  be 
built  near  it. 

COPPER  ORE. 

Small  particles  of  carbonate  of  copper  are  found  in  the 
same  rocks. 

SALT. 

The  salt-bearing  series  of  Nos.  10  and  12  underlie  the  coal 
measures  in  this  county,  at  accessible  depths. 

LIJIESTONE. 

The  limestones  of  Russell  are  chiefly  of  the  Trenton  and 
Hudson  River  series.      They  are  generally  very  fossiliferous, 


EUSSELL  CO. — TIMBER.  197 

many  ledges  affording  excellent  lime.  About  Clincli  River 
the  upper  measures  of  Calciferous  limestones  sliow  occasion- 
ally ;  weathering  sometimes  very  light  drab  as  if  they  were 
highly  magnesian. 

BUTLDING   STONES. 

The  coal  measures  afford  a  sandstone  easily  vv^orked  in  the 
quarry,  which,  upon  exposure,  becomes  very  hard.  Many 
ledges  of  limestone  are  suitable  for  building  purposes. 

MARBLE. 

Perhaps  no  other  mention  of  the  marble  may  be  consid- 
ered necessary,  further  than  to  say  that  its  great  quantity  to- 
ward the  south  side  of  the  county  is  such  as  to  render  it 
an  item  of  consequence  to  any  railway  line  passing  through 
the  county. 

MINERAL    SPRINGS. 

While  there  are  many  mineral  springs  of  value  in  the 
county,  no  doubt,  there  are  none  as  yet  improved. 

TIMBER. 

It  would  astonish  any  one  from  the  great  timber  and  lum- 
ber markets,  where  everything  of  the  kind  has  its  value,  to 
see  the  quantities  of  fine  trees  destroyed  annually  in  clearing 
lands.  Very  frequently  the  log  heaps  are  composed  of  wal- 
nut, hickory,  white  oak,  and  poplar,  ready  for  the  torch.  It 
is  the  only  way  the  people  have  of  getting  the  timber  that 
they  do  not  want  for  fencing  purposes  out  of  the  way.  This 
county  is  supplied  with  vast  quantities  of  fine  timber — about 
the  river  the  black  walnut  and  the  sycamore.  In  fact,  there 
are  few  localities  in  the  county  where  the  walnut  is  not 
found.  Occasionally,  as  at  Little  Bear  Town,  on  a  loup  of 
the  Clinch  Mountain  Ptango,  the  balsam  fir  tree  is  found  in 


198  BUSSELL  CO. — ^AGRICULTURE. 

considerable  quantities.  White  oak  abounds  everywhere. 
Poplar,  cherry,  locust,  chestnut,  chestnut  oak,  and  other 
varieties  of  oak,  linn,  sugar,  buckeye,  and  several  varieties 
of  smaller  growth.  In  the  hills  of  the  coal  measures  nearly 
all  these  trees,  including  the  hemlock,  abound  in  their 
primitive  size  and  beauty,  and  in  quantities  seemingly  suf- 
ficient to  defy  extermination. 

WATER    POWER. 

Clinch  Kiver,  after  the  junction  of  the  two  principal 
branches  in  the  east  end  of  the  county,  discharges  about  220 
cubic  feet  per  second,  and  constantly  increases  its  volume  as 
it  descends.  Its  fall  is  sufficiently  great  to  afford  numerous 
valuable  powers.  Cedar  Creek,  one  of  its  principal  trib- 
utaries flowing  near  Lebanon,  the  court-house,  having  a 
rather  high  average  fall  per  mile,  offers  a  good  many  mill 
sites.  IMoccasin  Creek  gives  good  power.  Lick  Creek,  In- 
dian Creek,  Lewis  Creek,  and  the  other  creeks  on  the  north 
side  of  Clinch  Kiver,  afford  good  powers  of  limited  amount. 
These  streams  are  reliable  throughout  the  year.  In  cases  of 
extreme  drought  some  of  those  heading  in  the  coal  rocks  may 
get  low ;  but  the  others  rarely,  if  ever,  get  down  too  low  for 
use. 

MAmJEACTURES.    . 

There  are  no  manufactures  of  any  consequence  in  the 
county.  A  few  carding  machines,  to  card  the  wool  for  home 
use,  besides  the  mills,  are  about  all. 

AGRICULTURE. 

The  principal  feature  in  agriculture  is  the  great  grass- 
producing  area  that  covers  nearly  two  thirds  of  the  county. 
These  lands  are  kept  perennially  fertile  by  the  decomposition 
of  fossil  limestones,  and  of  occasional  thin  ledges  of  felspar. 


KUSSELL  CO. — SCENERY.  199 

Where  tlie  lands  have  been  in  cultivation  for  many  years, 
without  proper  rotation  of  crops,  they  show  signs  of  exhaus- 
tion ;  but  plaster  and  clover  seem  to  restore  them  rapidly. 
Outside  of  the  care  shown  by  those  who  are  trying  to  keep  up 
good  grazing  farms,  there  is  little  effort  to  improve  the  style 
cf  farming.  There  are  thousands  of  acres  of  land  which,  under 
a  proper  system  of  cultivation,  would  be  capable  of  enriching 
a  population  of  twenty  times  the  number  now  living  in  the 
county.  Sheep  husbandry,  if  carefully  looked  after,  would 
be  hiofhlv  remunerative.  In  the  small  flocks  now  common, 
and  without  much  attention,  the  sheep  fall  an  easy  prey  to  all 
kinds  of  enemies. 

Wheat,  corn,  oats,  hay,  rye,  flax,  buckwheat,  potatoes,  etc., 
are  the  chief  staples,  and  are  mostly  consumed  at  home. 
There  is  no  tobacco  of  any  consequence  raised  in  Russell 
County.  Upon  the  great  grass  farms  are  raised  much  of  the 
fine  stock  which  supplies  the  English  markets. 

A  great  many  fine  sheep  are  being  raised  by  a  few  individ- 
uals ;  horses  and  mules  are  not  now  the  paying  industries. 
they  were  a  few  years  ago. 

SCENEEY. 

It  would  be  useless  to  attempt  to  describe  the  many  fine 
landscapes  presented  to  the  eye  on  every  hand  in  Russell 
County. 

It  is  made  up  of  picture  after  picture  of  the  finest  views 
whicii  ever  came  from  the  hand  of  the  great  artist.  Nature. 
The  beautiful  grass  lands,  limited  by  the  high  mountains, 
threaded  by  the  constant  streams,  which  everywhere  flow 
from  bold  springs,  not  only  fill  up  the  measure  of  tlie  beauti- 
ful, but  carry  the  conviction  of  the  great  wealth  and  utility  of 
the  fine  lands  and  streams. 

Fruits  do  well  in  the  county.     Perhaps  poaches  are  more 


200  KUSSELL    CO. — LINES   OF   TEANSPOETATION. 

certain  tlian  in  tlie  counties  farther  east.  Grapes  are  com- 
mon. Bees  do  well ;  and  fish,  such  as  black  bass,  the  red- 
eye, etc.,  are  the  natural  inhabitants  of  the  Clinch  and  Hol- 
ston  rivers  and  their  tributaries.  They  need  protection  and 
care,  however,  or  they  will  begin  to  disappear. 

TRADE  IN  CATTLE,  SHEEP,  WHEAT,  AND   COEN. 

The  number  of  cattle  annually  sold  from  Kussell  is  about 
10,500  head.  Of  this  number  perhaps  2,000  find  their  way 
to  European  markets,  either  in  first  or  second  hands.  Of 
sheep  there  are  about  9,500.  Of  wheat  about  45,000  bushels, 
and  but  little  corn.  Of  all  other  products,  the  home  con- 
sumption now  meets  the  production,  except  that  about  450 
horses  and  mules,  in  good  season,  find  their  way  to  eastern 
markets. 

LINES    OF    TRANSPOETATION. 

There  are  now  chartered  three  principal  lines  of  railway, 
that  have  some  probability  of  being  built,  which  will  give  to 
Eussell  nearly  all  the  facilities  it  will  require. 

The  Kichmond  and  Southwestern  Railway  will  run  for 
thirty  miles,  through  the  Clinch  River  section  of  the  county. 

The  Saltville  and  Coal  Mine  Railroad,  if  built,  will  run 
diagonally  across  the  center  of  the  county,  from  the  south- 
east to  the  northwest,  and  would  be  of  great  value  to  the 
county,  crossing  the  iron,  marble,  coal,  and  timber  belts  in 
succession; 

The  Virginia,  Kentucky  and  Ohio  Railroad  has  a  branch 
road  provided  for  in  its  charter,  which  might  pursue  the  line 
of  Clinch  River  on  its  way  to  Pound  Gap.  This  road  would 
afford  a  valuable  outlet  to  coal  and  timber,  toward  Norfolk, 
without  much  risk  of  coming  into  competition  with  other 
coals. 


SCOTT   COUXTY.  201 

TOWNS    AND    TILLAGES. 

Lebanon,  the  county  site,  is  a  village  near  tlie  center  of  tlie 
county,  a  short  distance  from  Cedar  Creek  ;  with  churches  of 
different  denominations,  schools,  hotels,  good  stores,  smith 
shops,  etc.  It  is  healthfully  located.  Hansonville,  in  the 
southwest  side  of  the  county  on  Moccasin,  is  a  handsome 
little  place,  with  a  mill,  stores,  etc.  Honahersville,  on  Lewis 
Creek,  north  side  of  the  county,  is  a  busy  place,  with  a  mill, 
stores,  church,  etc.  Dlckinsonville  and  other  places  in  the 
county,  such  as  Eosedale  and  Elk  Garden,  are  convenient 
places  of  trade  for  the  surrounding  country. 

PUBLIC    SCHOOLS. 

The  public  schools,  according  to  the  last  report  of  the 
State  Superintendent,  Dr.  Kuffner,  are  on  a  better  footing 
than  formerly,  and  will  in  the  future  be  more  carefully 
attended  to. 


SCOTT  COUNTY. 

The  county  of  Scott  differs  very  much  in  its  physical  ap- 
pearance from  the  neighboring  counties  even  of  the  same  geo- 
logical age.  Its  hilly  character  will,  it  is  thought,  finally 
cause  it  to  be  used  principally  in  the  culture  of  grapes  and 
sheep.  Along  Clinch  River,  which  flows  through  it  from 
northeast  to  southwest,  there  are,  however,  very  nice  bottom 
lands,  making  many  fine  farms.  Along  the  Holston  River,  in 
the  southern  part  of  the  county,  this  condition  is  also  ob- 
servable. But  Scott  is  important  in  area  and  in  undeveloped 
resources.  Its  mineral  springs  are  highly  valuable ;  and  its 
marble,  ores,  and  coal,  with  its  endless  water  power,  will 
cause  it  to  assume  a  high  position  under  favorable  conditions 
of  transportation. 


202  SCOTT    CO. — GEOLOGICAL. 


HOW  BOUNDED. 

The  county  is  bounded  north  by  the  Powell's  Mountain 
Kange,  separating  it  from  Wise  and  Lee  counties  ;  on  the  east 
by  Kussell  and  Washington  counties,  and  south  by  Sullivan 
and  Hancock  counties  of  the  State  of  Tennessee. 

HOW  WATERED. 

Scott  is  well  watered  by  Clinch  and  Holston  rivers  and 
some  of  their  principal  tributaries,  the  great  body  of  the 
county  being  traversed  its  greatest  length  by  Clinch  River, 
which  has  two  considerable  affluents  in  the  county — the  North 
Fork  of  Clinch  River  and  Copper  Creek.  Holston  Eiver  re- 
ceives Moccasin  Creek,  which  breaks  through  Clinch  Moun- 
tain at  Big  Moccasin  Gap,  after  traversing  a  large  portion  of 
the  eastern  part  of  the  county. 

There  are,  of  course,  many  minor  tributaries  of  both  rivers. 
Of  the  Clinch  River  some  of  the  most  noted  are  Stock  Creek, 
upon  which  is  situated  the  famous  natural  tunnel ;  Cove 
Creek,  Stony  Creek,  and  Stanton  Creek,  upon  which  are 
situated  Hagan's  Mineral  Springs. 

GEOLOGICAL. 

The  geology  of  Scott  is  nearly  similar  to  that  of  Russell 
County,  with  the  exception  of  that  part  lying  west  of  Wild- 
cat Creek.  But  a  close  examination  of  the  rocks  near  to  and 
south  of  the  coal  area,  in  the  northern  part  of  the  county, 
shows  the  existence  of  a  long  fragment  of  the  dyestone  ore 
strata  and  accompanying  rocks  ;  a  condition  which  is  not  true 
of  Russell  County,  except  as  to  a  small  section  known  as  the 
Big  Ax  Mountain. 

To  give  a  thoroughly  correct  idea  of  the  geology  in  different 
parts  of  the  county  it  would  really  be  necessary  to  present 
two   cross  sections  extending  from  northwest  to  southeast 


SCOTT  CO. — GEOLOGICAL. 


203 


irvEiS  jrroWTrt 


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Copper 'Kidgd 


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^Moccasin' Jifdgg 
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Marble 


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204  SCOTT  CO. — IKON  OKES. 

across  tlie  eastern  and  western  ends  of  the  county  respect- 
ively. The  eastern  section  couki  be  made  twenty-five  miles 
in  length,  that  being  the  width  of  the  county  at  that  end ; 
while  the  western  one  would  be  about  ten  and  a  half  miles 
long,  that  being  the  best  average  width  west  of  Spear's  Ferry. 

COAL. 

The  coal  area  of  Scott  County,  of  any  value,  lies  in  the 
northern  extremity  of  the  county  next  to  the  county  of  Wise. 
It  is  quite  accessible  from  the  Wise  County  or  western  side 
on  the  head-waters  of  Powell's  Eiver,  as  well  as  from  the 
southern  side,  where  the  head-waters  of  Stony  Creek  break 
through  the  ridge  forming  the  southern  bifurcation  of  Pow- 
ell's Mountain. 

This  is  a  much  more  valuable  coal  area  than  is  generally 
believed.  The  veins  are  in  better  condition  and  lie  more 
regularly,  with  much  less  disturbance  and  faults  than  there  is 
apparent  room  for  supposing.  But  such  is  the  case.  Seem- 
ingly this  area  is  merely  an  unbroken  continuation  of  the 
great  coal  area  of  Wise  County  under  very  much  the  same 
conditions.  The  accompanying  special  section  will  give  a 
very  good  general  idea  of  not  only  the  regularity  of  the  veins, 
but  of  their  relationship  with  the  neighboring  strata  lying 
south  of  the  coal  area.  This  coal  area  in  Scott  is  about  five 
miles  broad,  at  its  broadest,  by  about  eighteen  miles  in 
length ;  and,  together  with  the  iron  and  manganese  ores  and 
the  marble,  helps  to  make  Scott  one  of  the  most  important 
mineral  counties  in  the  State. 

mON   ORES. 

Fossil  or  Red  Ore. 

The  fossil  ores  of  Scott  occur  in  Powell's  Mountain  west 
of  Flat  Lick,  in  a  low  and  somewhat  broken  ridge  just  south 


SCOTT   CO. — BRO^T^  ORES.  205 

of  the  coal  area,  and  in  tlie  south  face  of  Clinch  Mountain, 
the  ores  in  Powell's  Mountain  and  the  ridge  just  mentioned 
being  regarded  as  superior  to  the  ores  of  Clinch  Mountain. 
It  has  been  often  contended  that  Copper  Eidge,  in  the 
central  portion  of  the  county,  contains  fossil  ore  also,  but  it 
has  escaped  notice  in  all  the  more  recent  examinations. 
Big  Eidge  may  contain  some  of  it,  as  a  fragment  thrown  off 
from  the  main  deposits,  but  this  is  extremely  doubtful.  It  is 
hardly  necessary  to  give  the  measures  of  these  fossil  ore 
veins,  as  they  are  nearly  identical  in  all  respects  with  the 
same  ores  in  Wise  and  Lee  counties.  Thus  it  may  safely 
be  said  that  these  veins  aggregate  sometimes  a  thickness  of 
seven  feet,  by  a  length,  in  the  county,  of  nearly  fifty  miles. 

Broii'n  Ores. 

The  brown  ores  of  Scott  County  are  almost  wholly  to  be  as- 
signed to  tlie  Helderberg  and  Oriskany  rocks  in  the  south  face 
of  Powell's  Mountain  and  Clinch  Mountain ;  but  Copper  Eidge 
shows  here  and  there  a  brown  ore  graduating  into  a  red  hem- 
atite, sometimes  accompanied  with  manganese,  which  is  no 
doubt  in  the  same  geological  horizon  with  the  ores  of  Kent's 
Eidge  in  Eussell  and  Tazewell,  and  with  similar  ores  in  Eich 
Valley  in  Smyth  County.  Brown  ores  of  excellent  quality 
are  also  found  along  the  length  of  Moccasin  Eidge  and  Big 
Eidge,  all  of  which  are  easily  accessible,  and  will  yield  a  ton- 
nage, above  water  level,  far  beyond  the  power  of  the  writer  to 
estimate. 

The  brown  ores  graduating  into  a  red,  spoken  of  as  being 
found  in  Copper  Eidge,  no  doubt  sometimes  assume  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  red  ore  with  bright  particles,  leading  tlio  un- 
initiated to  believe  them  to  be  fossil  rod  ores.  From  this  it 
may  be  inferred  that  tlio  mistake  about  fossil  red  ores  in 
Copper  Eidge  has  arisen.      This  ore  wlien  pure    is   really 


206  SCOTT  CO. — SALT. 

more  valuable  than  tlie  fossil  ore,  because  it  usually  carries 
so  liigh  a  percentage  of  metallic  iron ;  and  it  may  be  taken 
for  granted,  witli  a  degree  of  certainty,  that  in  many  places  in 
Copper  Eidge,  though  now  covered  so  with  debris  as  not  to 
be  discernible,  there  are  bodies  of  this  ore  equally  as  great 
in  magnitude  as  those  of  the  same  horizon  in  Smyth,  Giles, 
and  Tazewell  counties.  This  horizon  is  about  at  the  division 
between  the  Trenton  and  Black  River  series,  and  it  may  be 
well  for  the  reader  to  remember  that  the  same  formations 
follow  the  same  ridges  nearly  uniformly  throughout  their 
length  in  the  county. 

MANGANESE. 

Manganese  in  fine  crystals  is  found  here  and  there 
throughout  the  length  of  Copper  Eidge  and  Big  Eidge  in  the 
county. 

LEAD. 

There  are  occasional  pieces  of  lead  ore — such  as  that  found 
near  Boatwright's,  on  Stony  Creek,  four  miles  from  Fort 
Blackamore,  which  may  lead  to  interesting  results  if  prop- 
erly prosecuted.  Some  of  the  pieces  of  galenite,  picked  up 
where  the  creek,  after  a  great  freshet,  had  torn  them  from 
their  original  position,  look  like  the  fine  silver-bearing  lead 
ore  of  the  West.  But  it  would  be  premature  to  declare  that 
there  are  large  quantities  of  the  ore  present  in  the  locality 
named,  for  much  exploration  and  development  are  necessary 
to  prove  this  interesting  point. 

SALT. 

The  existence  of  salt  may  be  regarded  as  certain  in  the 
coal  area,  not  more  than  five  hundred  feet  below  the  surface  ; 
but  whether  any  basins  will  be  found  presenting  all  the  con- 
ditions favorable  for  obtaining  an  unlimited  supply  of  brine, 
is  not  yet  determined. 


SCOTT   CO. — WATER  POWER,  207 


MARBLE. 


The  existence  of  several  varieties  of  fine  variegated  marble 
has  long  been  conceded  to  Scott  County.  Passing  through 
Estillville,  the  county  site,  from  southwest  to  northeast  along 
the  northern  base  of  Clinch  Mountain,  is  the  line  of  the  out- 
crop of  large  masses  of  both  gray  and  purplish  marble  in 
thick  ledges.  The  gray  is  tinted  throughout  with  flesh- 
colored  spots  that  render  it  very  handsome,  while  the  more 
purple  is  rendered  remarkable  from  the  number  of  large  fos- 
sils with  which  it  abounds  so  thickly  in  places,  some  of  the 
remains  of  corals  being  very  distinct. 

The  quantity  of  fine  marble  in  large  blocks  which  could  be 
supplied  from  these  ledges  in  the  county,  particularly  near 
Estillville,  is  practically  beyond  the  power  of  exhaustion, 
should  a  critical  market  be  pleased  with  its  coloring  and 
style. 

BARYTES. 

This  mineral  is  found  occasionally  in  Copper  Ridge  and 
Big  Ridge,  but  no  developments  of  any  consequence  have  yet 
been  made. 

FIRE   CLAY, 

Fire  clay  is  found  beneath  some  of  the  coal  veins,  but 
whether  it  will  answer  for  the  purpose  of  making  the  best 
kind  of  fire  brick  is  not  yet  known. 

WATER  P0^VER. 

Clinch  Piivcr,  before  it  finally  passes  into  Tennessee  on  the 
soutliwest,  discharges  about  350  cubic  feet  per  second  ;  the 
North  Fork  of  Holston  River,  about  two  thirds  this  quantity. 
The  Clinch,  having  about  20  feet  fall  per  mile  throughout  its 
length  in  tlie  county,  affords  many  admirable  water  powers. 
Holston  River  is  not  quite  so  favorable.     Copper  Creek  and 


208  SCOTT  CO. — MINEEAL  SPRINGS. 

Big  Moccasin,  and  tlie  several  minor  tributaries  of  both  tlie 
larger  streams,  afford  water  powers  of  any  desirable  grade. 
It  may  be  said  that  the  water  power  of  Scott  County  is  of  a 
fine  character,  the  streams  being  generally  constant  through- 
out the  year. 

TIMBER. 

All  that  has  been  said  of  the  best  of  the  neighboring 
counties  with  regard  to  timber  may  be  said  with  equal  truth 
of  Scott  County.  In  the  coal  area,  the  poplar,  or  tulip  tree, 
is  abundant  and  very  fine.  The  chestnut  oak,  the  bark  of 
which  is  so  good  for  tanning  purposes,  is  very  abundant  in 
the  county  ;  while,  through  the  body  of  the  county,  black  and 
white  walnut,  hickory,  maple,  white  oak,  and  other  valuable 
trees  are  abundant. 

AGRICULTURE. 

The  agriculture  of  the  county  is  not  in  a  very  advanced 
condition  as  yet ;  but  that  would  no  doubt  be  much  improved 
under  the  encouragement  given  by  cheap  lines  of  transpor- 
tation, allowing  the  use  of  more  profitable  fertilizers.  The 
cultivation  of  the  beet  for  sugar  making  seems  to  be  now 
one  of  the  enterprises  of  the  county. 

MESTERAL   SPRIN'GS. 

The  mineral  springs  of  known  efficacy  and  reputation  are 
the  Holston  Springs,  two  miles  below  Big  Moccasin  Gap,  on 
Holston  Kiver,  and  Hagan's  Springs,  on  Stanton  Creek,  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  county. 

Holston  Springs,  not  now  open  to  visitors,  has  a  fine  brick 
hotel  and  a  row  of  cabins,  situated  pleasantly  on  the  north 
bank  of  Holston  Eiver.  There  are  three  or  four  springs 
issuing  at  one  place.  The  largest  is  a  spring  of  about 
61^°  Fah.,  slightly  impregnated  with  iron,  yielding   fifteen 


SCOTT  CO. — SCENEKY.  209 

gallons  per  minute.  Kear  tliis  is  a  limestone  spring  giving 
about  eight  gallons  per  minute,  and  within  six  feet  is  a  sul- 
phur spring,  apparently  blue  sulphur.  The  purely  chalybe- 
ate spring  is  not  a  strong  one  in  its  flow,  but  the  water  is 
efficacious. 

Hagan's  Springs  are  situated  in  a  romantic  spot  between 
the  mountains,  having  Powell's  Mountain  on  the  north. 
These  springs  are  rendered  attractive,  not  more  by  the  ex- 
cellence of  the  two  fine  springs  of  white  sulphur  and  chaly- 
beate, than  the  elegant  house  of  noble  dimensions  and  fine 
architecture,  recently  built  by  Mr.  Hagan,  the  proprietor. 

SCENEEY. 

Among  the  fine  scenery  of  the  State  might  be  described 
several  lovely  views  in  Scott  County,  but  one  of  the  most 
attractive  is  the  great  natural  tunnel  or  bridge  in  Stock 
Creek.  Here,  at  an  elevation  of  about  1,400  feet  above  sea 
level,  is  this  remarkable  natural  phenomenon. 

There  can  be  no  scenery  more  grand  and  imposing  than 
that  afi'orded  by  the  approach  to  the  tunnel  on  the  lower 
side.  An  immense  wall  of  limestone  rock,  of  the  Lower  Silu- 
rian age,  forms  a  high,  beetling  cliff  for  several  hundred  yards 
below,  making  a  most  graceful  curve  from  south  to  west, 
then  north  and  northeast,  then  curving  around  to  south  again, 
after  passing  the  mouth  of  the  tunnel,  describing  the  curve 
of  a  gracefully  turned  horseshoe. 

The  walls  of  this  towering  cliff  have  been  colored,  in  the 
course  of  time,  in  beautiful  tints  of  red  and  sepia  and  brown, 
by  the  waters  carrying  down  its  face  different  solutions  of 
lime,  iron,  and  magnesia.  Occasionally  in  some  of  the 
smaller  clefts  of  this  wonderfully  beautiful  cliff,  cedars  and 
overhanging  pendent  tufts  of  grass  have  taken  hold,  the  ce- 
dars apparently  dwarfed  by  the  hard  fight  for  a  precarious 
14 


210        SCOTT  CO. — MANTIFACTUEES,  FURNACES,  AKD  FORGES. 

existence.  The  wliole  forms  one  of  the  most  imposing  pieces 
of  scenery  to  be  found  in  this  part  of  the  country.  At  the 
same  time  it  would  delight  the  eye,  it  would  baffle  the  skill 
of  any  artist  to  portray  it  in  all  its  features.  Perhaps  at  no 
place  within  so  small  a  comj)ass  can  such  a  combination  of 
varied  and  interesting  scenery  be  found ;  an  incomparable 
picture  from  the  pencil  of  the  greatest  of  all  artists,  nature. 

Could  it  be  ojDened  to  the  tourist,  health  and  pleasure 
seeker,  and  the  weary  toiler  of  the  cities,  it  would  be 
thronged  every  season  for  months,  for  it  is  really  perfectly 
beautiful  and  enchanting. 

A  view  was  attempted  to  be  taken  of  the  lower  approach 
from  below  a  giant  sycamore,  which  seemed  to  rear  its  gaunt 
arms  as  if  in  the  vain  endeavor  to  reach  the  top  of  the  lofty 
cliff. 

MANUFACTURES,  FURNACES,  AND  FORGES. 

With  the  exception  of  six  wool-carding  machines  there 
are  no  manufactures  worthy  of  the  name  in  the  county.  It 
might  be  interesting  to  an  antiquarian,  who  might  be  delving 
in  the  past  history  of  iron  making,  to  look  up  several  small 
furnaces  and  forges  long  since  out  of  blast,  the  traces  of 
which  are  almost  gone ;  but  it  would  scarcely  be  a  matter  of 
interest  to  state  them  here,  for  they  were  built  and  operated 
nearly  a  hundred  years  ago,  some  of  them  ;  and  the  condi- 
tions which  surrounded  that  remote  period  in  our  history 
have  entirely  changed.  They  gave  way  and  went  down  under 
the  advancing  tide  of  Eastern  supremacy  in  all  branches  of 
manufacture.  Now  the  same  ground  is'  likely  soon  to  be 
occupied  by  the  successors  of  these  manufacturers,  who  will 
be  drawn  to  locate  in  a  region  where  ores  are  abundant,  and 
fuel  and  labor  are  so  cheap  as  to  make  the  products  success- 
ful in  any  close  competition  with  all  the  rest  of  the  world. 


NATURAL   TL'XNKL,    SCOTT    (  ().,    VA. 

Lower  Approach. 
a*.  210). 


SCOTT   CO. — CATTLE,  SHEEP,  BOESES,  MULES,  AXD  WHK\T.       211 
LINES   OF   TRANSPORTATION. 

While  botli  the  Holston  and  Clincli  rivers  have  been 
occasionally  utilized  to  ship  wheat,  corn,  etc.,  toward  Chatta- 
nooga, the  hoj)e  of  the  people  for  reliable  transportation 
seems  to  be  centered  now  in  what  is  known  as  the  Bristol 
Coal  and  Iron  Narrow-gauge  Eailroad.  This  road  has  its 
route  from  Bristol  on  the  Atlantic,  Mississippi  and  Ohio 
Kailroad,  through  Big  Moccasin  Gap,  via  Estillville,  Spear's 
Ferry,  the  Natural  Tunnel,  and  Flat  Lick,  to  Big  Stone  Gap 
or  Imboden  City  in  Wise  County,  with  a  view  of  continuing 
on  toward  the  Ohio  Kiver,  through  Harlan  and  other  counties 
in  Kentu'cky.  The  work  on  this  road  is  being  vigorously 
pushed  forward,  and  the  railroad  company,  with  the  assist- 
ance of  the  Tinsalia  Coal  and  Iron  Company,  of  Big  Stone 
Gap,  in  Wise  County,  will  soon  complete  the  road,  thus  open- 
ing up  to  commerce  the  immense  beds  and  deposits  of  coal 
and  iron  ore,  the  vast  forests  of  timber,  and  the  fine  marble 
we  have  attempted  to  describe. 

Fish  culture,  bee  culture,  and  grape  culture  are  alike  be- 
ginning to  attract  the  attention  of  enterprising  men. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  grape  culture  is  suitable  to 
Scott  County  in  an  eminent  degree,  and  it  must  sooner  or 
later  command  earnest  attention. 


ANNUxVL  SURPLUS  OF  CATTLE,  SHEEP,  HORSES,  MULES,  AND   WHEAT. 

Cattle. — 300  stock  cattle  annually. 
1,800  fat  cattle  annually. 
2,000  of  inferior  cattle,  calves,  etc. 
Sheep.— 5,000  head. 
Horses  and  mules.  — 500  head  annually  sold. 

35,000  bushels  of  wheat  annually  shipped  down  the  river 
to  Chattanooga. 


212  LEE   COUNTY. 

PEINCIPAL  TOWNS,  ETC. 

EstiUville  is  the  county  site,  and  the  principal  place  of 
business  in  the  county.  Nichollsville,  Spear  s  Ferry^  Fort 
Blackamore,  Patfonville,  and  Oshorns  Ford  are  likewise  places 
of  business. 

EDUCATION. 

The  question  of  education  is  becoming  one  of  great  im- 
portance in  the  county,  and  will  assume  a  very  healthy  tone 
after  the  comj)letion  of  the  railroad. 


LEE  COUNTY. 

This  county  has  so  many  advantages,  both  mineral  and 
agricultural,  that  when  even  so  small  a  proportion  of  them  as 
is  presented  here  is  considered  it  must  excite  sur23rise  that 
no  more  strenuous  efforts  have  been  made  heretofore  to  open 
them  up  to  commerce.  The  contemplation  of  these  and  the 
other  vast  undeveloped  resources  of  Southwestern  Virginia, 
to  say  nothing  of  other  sections  of  the  State,  kindles  a  feel- 
ing of  deep  disdain  for  that  system  of  statesmanship  which 
can  content  itself  with  the  consideration  of  a  line  of  policy 
looking  to  mere  personal  aggrandizement,  through  the  use 
of  all  the  arts  of  low  demagoguery,  while  a  noble  State, 
made  up  in  great  part  of  such  counties  as  Lee,  is  com- 
pelled to  linger  on  from  year  to  year  in  the  «,gouies  of 
financial  dissolution;  not  only  compromising  the  fair  fame 
she  has  won  in  the  past,  in  every  department  in  life,  but 
practically  yielding  the  commonwealth,  her  vast  resources, 
and  a  once  noble  heritage  of  an  illustrious  and  honorable 
name  to  utter  strangers.  While  it  is  not  the  intention  of 
this  book  to  go  outside  of  the  discussion  of  its  legitimate 
objects,  there   can  be  no  impropriety  in  calling  the  earnest 


LEE  COUNTY.  213 

attention  of  tlie  citizens  of  Virginia  to  tlie  great  loss  tliey 
are  sustaining  by  failing  to  properly  appreciate  the  crisis  the 
State  is  now  in.  Without  an  earnest  endeavor  on  their  part 
to  combine  for  the  utilization  of  the  immense  resources  of 
the  State,  both  for  the  advancement  of  private  as  well  as 
public  interests,  political  and  financial  bankruptcy  is  certain 
without  the  intervention  of  foreign  capital,  which  may  be 
employed  as  a  mere  channel  to  convey  away  the  rich  fi'uits  of 
Virginia's  mining  and  general  industrial  resources  to  distant 
places,  only  partially  relieving  her  distress  at  last. 

Lee  County  can  be  cited  as  an  illustration  of  general  con- 
ditions with  quite  as  much  propriety  as  any  other  ;  for  in  its 
boundary  lines  alone  are  the  elements  of  an  empire's  redemjD- 
tion  from  even  worse  conditions  than  those  which  encompass 
unhappy  Virginia.  Its  fine  and  extensive  grass  and  grain 
areas  are  not  the  least  of  its  valuable  features.  In  the  iron 
ores  and  splendid  areas  of  almost  unparalleled  coal  veins,  with 
matchless  timber,  there  are  possibilities  far  beyond  the  actual 
necessities  of  Virginia.  Only  one  condition  has  been  wanting 
for  years — simply  accessibility  to  markets  ;  and  this  has  seem- 
ingly been  denied,  as  if  every  effort  since  the  war  had  been 
directed  to  prevent  rather  than  facilitate  that  most  desirable 
end. 

To  the  almost  unlimited  extent  of  fossil  red  iron  ores  are 
added  valuable  extensive  deposits  of  brown  ores.  On  a  map  of 
small  scale,  the  coloring  which  shows  respectively  the  location 
of  ore  and  coal  is  spread  over  almost  the  same  ground,  and  that 
which  designates  the  locality  of  the  limestone  is  intermingled 
with  the  iron  ore  and  sometimes  penetrates  the  coal  areas. 
Nature  has  left  nothing  undone  to  stamp  the  area  covered  by 
the  county  as  one  of  its  most  favored  localities.  Coiild  it 
now  have  the  number  of  furnaces,  and  mining  and  timboriiig 
stations  to  Avliich  it  is  so  richly  entitled,  it  would  without  other 
manufacturing   establishments  greatly   alleviate  by   its  tax- 


214:  LEE  CO. — COAL. 

paying  power  tlie  burden  of  the  State  ;  besides  making  for 
itself  a  name  in  iron  industries  which  other  sections  might 
envy,  but  vainly  strive  to  emulate. 

The  county  is  over  fifty  miles  in  length  by  a  breadth  of 
seventeen — air  line. 

HOW  BOUNDED. 

Lee  is  separated  on  the  north  from  Harlan  and  Josh  Bell 
counties  of  Kentucky  by  the  main  Cumberland  Mountain  ;  on 
the  northeast  it  is  bounded  by  Wise  County  ;  on  the  south- 
east by  Scott  County,  and  immediately  south  by  Clairborne 
and  Hancock  counties  of  Tennessee.  Lee  is  in  the  extreme 
southwest  corner  of  Virginia,  having  the  State  of  Tennessee 
on  the  south,  and  the  State  of  Kentucky  on  its  north  and 
west,  and  is  marked  at  its  extreme  western  limit  by  the 
widely-known  Cumberland  GajD. 

HOW  WATERED. 

Lee  is  well  watered  by  Powell's  Kiver  and  its  tributaries. 
In  its  southeastern  and  eastern  corners  Blackwater  and  Wild- 
cat creeks  flow  through  small  sections  of  the  county,  which 
are  tributaries  of  the  main  Clinch  Eiver. 

Powell's  Eiver,  being  fed  by  numerous  limestone  springs,  is 
a  very  constant  stream,  and  toward  its  lower  end  (in  the 
county)  is  navigable  through  the  winter  months  for  batteaux. 
It  furnishes  sufficient  transportation  to  ship  large  quantities 
of  wheat  and  corn  annually  toward  Chattanooga,  and  if  a  little 
assistance  from  the  general  government  was  afforded,  the 
navigation  of  this  river  could  be  made  reliable.  Of  this 
more  will  be  said  under  the  head  of  Transportation. 

COAL. 

It  would  be  difficult  indeed  to  place  a  proper  estimate  uj^on 
the  coal  area  of  Lee  County.     From  the  examinations  made 


LEE   CO. — COAL.  215 

by  tlie  author,  as  well  as  tliose  of  Me.  Lesley  and  others,  it  is 
certain  that  Lee  holds  about  75  square  miles  of  the  coals 
which  are  classed  as  the  most  reliable  for  quantity  and  most 
excellent  for  quality  in  the  great  coal  field  to  which  it  be- 
longs. 

The  examinations  of  Mr.  Lesley  and  Mr.  Shalee,  alluded  to 
just  now,  it  is  true  were  made  not  so  strictly  in  this  area,  but 
in  the  exact  geological  continuation  of  the  same  veins  and  de- 
posits on  the  opposite  side  of  the  Black  Mountain,  in  a  short 
distance.  From  all  the  evidence,  these  veins  lie  so  nearly 
horizontal,  without  fault  or  displacement  of  a  serious  nature, 
on  both  sides  of  Black  Mountain,  that  the  reading  for  one  side 
with  but  slight  modifications  is  the  reading  for  the  other ; 
and  this  view  of  the  case  is  borne  out  by  the  investigations  of 
careful  men.  Thus,  Lee  Count}^  in  common  with  Josh  Bell 
and  Harlan  counties  of  Kentucky,  contains  some  of  the  finest 
known  veins  of  bituminous,  splint,  and  cannel  coals.  Out  of 
the  eight  or  nine  workable  seams  above  water  level  the  coal 
in  two  are  known  to  be  of  that  variety  which  will  smelt  ores 
raw,  while  the  quantity  of  the  ordinary  flaming  bituminous 
coal  is  without  limit. 

From  all  these  examinations  we  are  to  conclude  that  there 
are  from  fifteen  to  eighteen  coal  seams  in  all,  comprised  with- 
in the  lower,  middle,  and  upper  coal  measures.  The  lower 
measures  have  the  reputation  of  giving  veins  which  are  rarely 
over  three  feet  thick,  some  of  which  yield  about  one  half  can- 
nel coal.  This  I  doubt  from  my  explorations,  as,  from  a  very 
careful  inspection  of  these  lower  lying  beds,  some  of  them 
exceed  four  feet  in  tliickness — much  of  the  coal  being  capable 
of  smelting  ores  raw.  The  middle  measures  present  beds 
seven  feet  thick  and  over,  and  in  these  measures  the  thickest 
cannel  coal  veins  may  be  looked  for. 

No  analysis  of  these  coals  yet  ins])ectcd  shows  more  than 
four  per  cent,  of  ash,  and  the  trials  made  of  them  recently,  by 


216  LEE   CO. — IKON  ORES. 

expert  practical  men  in  Pennsylvania,  give  tliem  a  higher 
reputation  in  every  respect,  for  coking  and  general  purposes, 
than  any  other  known  coals. 

The  North  Fork  of  Powell's  Eiver,  which  derives  all  its 
waters  from  this  section  of  Lee  County,  flows  out  into  the 
main  Powell's  Valley  through  North  Fork,  or  Pennington's 
Gaj) ;  and  it  is  through  this  gap  that  this  fine  coal  area  is  ren- 
dered accessible  throughout  its  extent  by  easy  grades  descend- 
ing to  a  common  point,  at  the  above-mentioned  gajJ. 


IRON   ORES. 

Fossil  Bed  Ores. 

At  Pennington's  Forge,  Pennington's  Gap,  these  ores  have 
been  practically  proven  to  be  of  high  grade.  The  iron  made 
from  them  has  frequently  been  bent  double  while  cold,  with- 
out showing  fracture.  The  localities  of  these  ores  are  in 
Poor  Valley  Ridge,  Waldin's  Ridge,  and  a  section  of  Powell's 
Mountain,  which  that  part  of  the  south  side  of  the  county 
overlaps  in  taking  in  a  portion  of  Blackwater  Creek. 

Through  a  great  part  of  the  county.  Poor  Valley  Ridge, 
which  lies  next  to  the  Cumberland  Mountain  on  the  north 
side  of  the  county,  is  about  eight  and  a  quarter  miles  from 
Waldin's  Ridge,  which  flanks  Powell's  Mountain  on  its  north 
side ;  the  latter  marking  for  about  twenty  miles  the  south- 
eastern boundary  of  the  county. 

These  ridges.  Poor  Valley  Ridge  and  Waldin's  Ridge,  so 
well  known  as  fossil  red  iron  ore-bearing  localities,  while 
maintaining  the  above-mentioned  average  distance  from  each 
other  through  the  middle  part  of  the  county,  converge  toward 
each  other  as  you  approach  the  Wise  County  line,  so  that 
when  nearly  at  the  northeastern  limit  of  the  county  there 
begins  that  great  grouping  of  iron  ores,  coal  measures,  and 


LEE   CO. — BKOWN  IRON  OEES. 


217 


O 

o 


Co 


is 


d 
O 


^S 


>t 


as- 


Sub  Carb. 

425  Ft. 

Limestone 


Impure  L,.22  Ft, 
Ked  Sluile    12  Kt 
Soil  Sand  S.  (90  Ft. 


Hamilton 
Marcellus    (.720  Ft 
Black  Slat€->  | 
&c 


c 
O 


, ,      , ,13  inches 

Uaru  Siiu.Niijiic.>' 
251)  Ft/J 

Femi-iiioiT^TT^S  120  Ft. 
Lime.st'one    lOO'Ft. 
~OTyTv"f^:niiNtirri"eT  15  ft. 
Hur.l  Hrou-u  rVj  S.  4S  Ft 


(irav  Slates  ,t 
.Shales    Lsi)  Ft 

inche.s 

.Vil'.KJ  Ft. 
3  ii.clies 

'a  s.  itoFt 

s  inches 


limestones  cliaracteristic  of  tlie  neigliborliood  of  Big  Stone 
Gap. 

The  appended  sections  ■will  show 
the  ores  in  Poor  Valley  Ridge  near 
Pennington's  Gap ;  while  those  in 
Waldiu's  Ridge  and  Powell's  Moun- 
tain have  the  same  general  thick- 
ness, but  dip  at  an  angle  of  about 
thirty  degrees  almost  invariably 
to  the  southeast  or  south-south- 
east. 

Again,  near  Boone's  Path  Post 
Office  in  Poor  Valley  Ridge,  as  well 
as  in  the  ridges  near  Cumberland 
Gap,  these  ores  show  in  measures 
similar  to  those  in  the  section 
taken  southwest  of  North  Fork 
Gap.  The  ores  from  this  place 
have  been  extensively  used  at 
Bales'  or  Bowling  Green  Forge, 
in  connection  with  the  brown  ores 
mined  at  the  forge,  and  have  given  s^ 
very  great  satisfaction. 

It  would  be  idle  to  attempt  to 
estimate  the  quantity  of  red  ore  in 
these  veins.  In  Poor  Valley  Ridge 
the  outcrop  is  placed  at  aboiit  180 
feet  elevation  above  the  water  in 
the  neighboring  creeks.  In  Wal- 
din's  Ridge  and  Powell's  Moun- 
tain this  elevation  is  about  400 
feet — sometimes  as  much  as  600 
feet — above  water  level  in  tlie 
creeks.     It  may  then  bo  safely  assumed 


P- 


^3 


Ct> 


'ix  Cray  ' 
eep  U^.g  .s,  I  X6  Ft. 


Oneiihi  Grit  J 
.300  Ft. 


J, 


Reddish  Sha^les  150  vt 
injToTks 


Huds 


that  large  quantities 


218  LEE   CO.— LIMESTONE. 

of  ore  will  be  stripped  above  water  level.  In  fact,  so  great 
will  be  this  quantity  tliat  many  years  must  elapse,  after 
regular  mining  operations  are  commenced,  before  it  becomes 
necessary  to  mine  below  water  level. 

Broivn  Iron  Ore. 

Brown  hematite  shows  more  conspicuously  at  Bales'  or 
Bowling  Green  Forge  than  at  any  other  point  so  far  as  devel- 
oped. Here  it  shows  a  width  of  twenty  feet  by  an  unknown 
depth. 

In  the  ridges  to  the  south  and  east  of  White  Shoals  in 
Powell's  Biver  there  are  considerable  surface  quantities  of 
manganiferous  brown  ores.  The  ores  at  Bales'  or  Bowling 
Green  Forge  are  in  the  Lower  Silurian  limestones,  and  may 
be  indicative  of  those  sulphureted  strata  below  which  yield 
such  quantities  of  zinc  blende  farther  down  Powell's  River  in 
Tennessee. 

An  examination  of  the  south  face  of  Waldin's  Ridge  and 
Powell's  Mountain  reveals  the  presence  of  brown  ores  belong- 
ing to  the  Oriskany  sub-epoch ;  but  their  quantity  has  not 
been  ascertained  with  any  degree  of  accuracy. 

LEAD  AND   ZINC. 

The  measures  containing  the  associated  strata  of  lead  and 
zinc  ores  do  not  anywhere  come  to  the  surface  in  Lee  County. 

It  is  probable  they  are  as  near  emergence  at  Bales'  as  at 
any  other  point.  Should  these  strata  preserve  a  uniform 
character  along  Powell's  Valley,  the  day  will  come  when  zinc 
blende  will  be  mined  several  hundred  feet  below  the  surface, 
in  the  line  of  limestone  strata  passing  Bales'. 

LIMESTONE. 

Limestone  abounds  in  Lee  County.  There  is  very  little 
showing  below  the  McLurea  strata.     The  most  of  it  is  the 


LEE   CO. — TIMBER.  219 

Hudson  Eiver,  and  in  the  line  near  the  coal  measures,  the 
Sub-Carboniferous  limestone.  The  latter  is  usually  a  fine 
gray,  compact,  and  sometimes  highly  carbonaceous  rock,  well 
adapted  to  any  purpose  for  which  limestone  is  used,  whether 
it  be  for  fluxing  in  furnaces,  for  burning  into  lime,  or  for 
building  purposes. 

There  are  occasional  bands  of  stone  near  the  lower  part  of 
the  Hudson  River  series,  of  such  variegated  colors  as  to  have 
the  aj)pearance  of  marble.     It  has  not  been  fully  tested. 

BAEYTES. 

There  are  occasional  beds  of  barytes  in  the  county. 

KAOLIN, 

or  rather  fire-clay,  is  found  in  large  quantities  in  the  coal 
veins.  Some  of  it  has  a  high  character  for  refractory  pur- 
poses. Its  great  quantity  is  an  important  item,  should  the 
quality  prove  sufficiently  good  for  making  fire-brick. 

TIMBER. 

The  timber  of  Lee  will  form  one  of  its  most  important  re- 
sources in  the  event  of  transportation  being  supplied. 

There  are  large  quantities  of  walnut,  maple,  cedar,  etc., 
throughout  Powell's  Valley.  On  the  waters  of  the  North 
Fork  of  Powell's  River  there  are  large  boundaries  of  fine 
cherry,  pojjlar,  chestnut  oak,  white  oak,  hickory,  ash,  and 
other  trees  common  to  tliis  latitude.  The  seemingly  bound- 
less forests  stretcli  for  miles  unbroken.  Tlieir  gigantic  size, 
no  less  than  their  wonderful  beauty  and  luxuriance,  are  calcu- 
lated to  impress  the  beliolder  unused  to  such  scenes.  The 
cedars  of  the  lower  portion  of  the  county  are  wonderful  for 
their  size  and  number. 


220  LEE  CO. — SCEXEEY. 

■^ATER  POWEE, 

Powell's  Eiver  and  tributaries  afford  an  immense  number 
of  fine  water  powers.  To  attempt  to  enumerate  them  would 
only  end  in  showing  that  about  every  three  miles  of  the  river, 
and  much  less  on  such  creeks  as  Waldin's  Creek,  Graybill, 
Indian,  Blackwater,  and  North  Fork,  there  are  good  mill 
sites  which  can  employ  the  use  of  discharges  varying  be- 
tween sixty  and  two  hundred  and  fifty  cubic  feet  per  second 
for  the  river,  and  about  tvventy  to  fifty  feet  per  second  for  the 
tributaries ;  the  lesser  measure  for  the  river  being  up  near 
the  northeastern  limit  of  the  county. 

AGEICULTUEE. 

The  system  of  agriculture  employed  in  Lee  County  is  that 
which  is  now  common  throughout  this  section  of  Yirginia. 
Many  of  the  farms  in  Powell's  Yalley  are  w^ell  adapted  to 
grass,  and,  consequently,  are  principally  devoted  to  cattle 
raising.  There  is  much  of  the  soil  in  which  an  imj^ortant 
constituent  is  a  felspathic  flint,  perhaps  a  lime  and  soda 
fels23ar.  All  such  soils  have  been  found  to  be  peculiarly 
susceptible  to  improvement  by  the  use  of  plaster  as  a  fer- 
tilizer.    In  growing  wheat  these  lands  have  a  reputation. 

Lee  County  makes  a  large  average  yield  of  corn  per  acre 
throughout  the  county,  while  the  wheat  made  is  a  fine  firm 
grain,  of  the  kind  much  sought  after  by  the  mills  which  ship 
their  flour  to  southern  ports. 

The  system  of  agriculture  pursued,  like  tJiat  in  use  in 
neighboring  counties,  will  eventually  change  for  the  better 
under  the  stimulus  of  increased  means  of  cheap  and  abun- 
dant transportation. 

SCENEEY. 

The  scenery  of  Lee  is  picturesque,  but  usually  softer  than 
that  of  many  of  its  neighbors.     It  is  not  wanting  in  such  fine 


LEE  CO. — MANIJFACTUKES.  221 

pictures  as  are  presented  at  Pennington's  Gap,  Cumberland 
Gap,  and  numerous  lovely  stretches  of  woodland  and  moun- 
tain scenery  to  "whicli  the  river  lends  an  additional  charm. 

Some  of  the  caves  in  the  great  limestone  belt  of  Powell's 
Yalley  are  among  the  most  marvelous  in  the  world  for  their 
great  extent  and  wonderful  beauty.  One,  a  few  miles  from 
Jonesville,  the  county  site,  is  said  to  rival  the  Mammoth 
Cave  in  extent,  and  to  far  exceed  the  Luray  in  gorgeous 
splendor  of  decoration. 

ARCHEOLOGY. 

The  archseology  of  the  section  of  Lee  County  about  Robert 
Ely's — between  "Walnut  Hill  and  Piose  Hill — is  highly  inter- 
esting. The  Mound  Builders  once  lived  here,  and  have  left 
some  conspicuous  marks  of  their  existence.  One  of  the 
mounds  excavated  a  few  years  since  by  Prof.  Carr,  of  tlio 
Peabody  Museum  of  Boston,  gave  several  interesting  speci- 
mens of  the  remains,  entire,  of  adults  and  children,  together 
with  ornaments  of  different  kinds.  In  making  these  exca- 
vations, both  Prof.  Carr  and  his  able  assistant,  Mr. 
Charles  Johnson,  of  that  vicinity,  nearly  lost  their  lives  by 
the  sides  of  the  excavation  falling  in  upon  them.  Over  this 
mound  these  gentlemen  found  the  remains  of  a  walnut  tree, 
of  larger  than  medium  size,  known  to  have  been  living  within 
the  memory  of  citizens  now  residing  in  the  neighborhood. 

It  is  probable  the  walnut  tree  exceeded  three  hundred 
years  in  age.  Should  the  remains  of  this  tree  be  found  over 
other  such  mounds  it  may  be  assumed  tliat  they  were  planted 
intentionally  by  these  people.  In  that  case,  these  Mound 
Builders  would  not  have  been  extinct  more  than  three  hun- 
dred years. 

MANLTACTUREH. 

One  furnace,  capable  of  making  six  tons  of  pig  metal,  was 
built  at  Cumberland  Gap  previous  to  18G1,  and  was  rebuilt 


222  LEE  CO. — LINES    OF   TRANSPOETATION. 

in  1865  by  a  Cincinnati  company,  but  is  not  now  in  blast. 
Tliis  furnace  used  the  fossil  red  ores  of  Poor  Valley  Ridge 
mainly,  which  then  yielded  sixty  per  cent,  of  metal,  some- 
times drawing  from  a  measure  of  brown  ores,  seemingly  local, 
lying  between  Poor  Valley  Ridge  and  Cumberland  Moun- 
tain. 

Bales',  or  Bowling  Green  Forge,  in  the  western  section  of 
the  county  on  Martin's  Creek,  has  been  in  blast  for  many 
years,  using  ores  from  a  large  deposit  of  brown  ores  close 
by,  as  well  as  from  the  fossil  or  dyestone  ores  in  Poor  Valley 
Ridge,  near  Boone's  Path  P.  O.  This  forge  runs,  generally, 
only  in  the  winter  months,  making  about  three  hundred 
pounds  per  day. 

Pennington's  forge, 

Actively  in  operation  during  the  winter  months  since  1865, 
makes  bar  iron  from  the  fossil  red  iron  ores  in  Poor  Valley 
Ridge  adjacent.  This  forge  is  situated  on  the  North  Fork 
of  Powell's  River,  in  North  Fork  Gap,  and  has  the  reputation 
of  making  a  bar  that  will  bend  flat  double  when  cold  without 
showing  a  flaw. 

Outside  of  the  furnaces  and  forges,  the  manufactories  are 
confined  to  a  few  carding  machines  and  a  few  good  tanneries, 
one  of  which,  located  near  Jonesville,  makes  so  fine  an  article 
of  leather  as  to  find  a  ready  market  among  the  best  brands  in 
Baltimore,  Philadelphia,  and  New  York. 

There  are  grist  and  saw-mills  in  the  county  sufficient  for 
present  needs. 

lines   or   TRANSPORTATION. 

There  are  now  no  railways  in  Lee  County.  The  Richmond 
and  Southwestern  Railway  proposes  to  extend  an  arm  of  its 
great  road  through  the  county  its  greatest  length,  from  Wise 


LEE   CO. — CATTLE,  SHEEP,  WHEAT,  ETC.  223 

County  down  Powell's  River,  via  Jonesville,  toward  Cumber- 
land Gap.  This  road  coming,  as  it  will,  from  the  deep  water 
on  tlie  seaboard,  and  having  such  fine  connections  with  the 
western  system  of  railroads,  will  supply  remarkable  facilities 
to  the  county  in  the  development  of  every  species  of  indus- 
try, manufactures,  mines,  and  improved  agriculture. 

The  Bristol  Coal  and  Iron  Eailroad  Company  proposes  to 
extend  its  line  of  road  down  the  Powell's  Valley  also.  This 
road  is  in  course  of  construction,  and  will  be  pushed  forward 
more  rapidly  to  completion.  It  proposes  to  unite  the  coal 
and  iron  ores  of  "Wise,  Lee,  and  Scott  counties  with  the 
Atlantic,  Mississippi  and  Ohio  Eailroad  at  Bristol,  and  to 
continue  its  line  on  to  the  great  iron  deposits  at  Elizabethton 
in  Carter  County,  Tennessee. 

These  lines,  when  completed,  will  in  a  few  3'ears  place  Lee 
County  in  the  front  rank  of  advanced  communities. 

FISH   CULTURE. 

Fish  culture  has  not  yet  attracted  the  attention  in  Lee  that 
is  noticeable  in  the  counties  further  east.  The  fish  native  to 
these  waters  are  black  perch,  redeye,  catfish,  the  chub, 
white  sucker,  and  horny  head,  with  some  other  varieties  of 
perch,  perhaps. 

In  a  few  years  it  will  be  necessary  to  restock  the  streams, 
as  no  care  is  being  taken  to  keep  up  the  supply. 

Bee  culture  and  rjrape  culture  are  likewise  neglected,  there 
being  now  no  great  incentive  to  perfect  either  branch  of 
industry. 

ANNUAL   SURPLUS   OF   CATTLE,    SHEEP,   WHEAT,    ETC. 

5,000  cattle,  the  greater  proportion  being  stock  cattle. 
G,000  sheep. 

50,000  bushels  of  wheat  shipped  down  Powell's  River  in 
batteaux  in  the  winter  season. 


224  WISE   COHNTT. 

The  tobacco  shipped  annually  now  may  scarcely  be  reck- 
oned in  the  list  of  important  items.  In  a  few  years,  however, 
if  the  spirit  favoring  the  culture  of  that  plant  continues,  the 
trade  in  tobacco  will  be  very  large. 

EDUCATION. 

This  subject  has  engaged  the  attention  of  leading  private 
citizens  as  well  as  the  authorities,  with  good  effect.  Not  only 
are  the  public  schools  kept  up  in  very  good  order,  but  there 
are  now  good  private  schools,  of  which  nothing  more  need 
be  said  than  that  they  answer  all  the  purposes  of  the  com- 
munity, and  would,  under  the  stimulus  of  the  prosj^erity  re- 
sulting from  increased  facilities  of  communication  and  trans- 
portation, become  important  and  of  wide  celebrity. 


WISE  COUNTY. 

After  exhausting  a  vocabulary  of  praise  in  trying  to  speak 
of  the  just  merits  of  the  more  strictly  grass  counties  of  this 
section,  it  would  seem  that  there  is  nothing  left  but  to  pass 
over  all  introduction  for  Wise  County,  and  begin  the  bare 
description  of  its  resources.  Should  this  be  done,  with  full 
reference  to  those  resources,  there  would  be  but  little  need 
for  any  other  introduction  of  an  adulatory  nature.  To  many 
who  have  examined  the  coal  veins  of  Wise,  and  others  who 
know  something  of  all  its  resources,  it  would  require  an 
exceedingly  strong  description  to  meet  the  full  measure  of 
their  information.  No  ;  the  difficulty  will  be  that  only  par- 
tial justice  will  be  done  to  the  county,  and  an  apology  must 
here  be  offered  for  the  meager  account  presented  of  its  coal 
and  timber  and  other  valuable  features. 

Wise  is  in  the  jDlateau  of  the  Cumberland  Mountain,  having 


WISE  CO. — HOW  WATERED.  225 

on  its  northern  and  northwestern  sides  the  northern  bifurca- 
tion of  the  heavier  range,  and  on  its  southern  side  the  south- 
ern bifurcation  of  the  same  high  and  broad  Sandstone  Moun- 
tain. It  is  the  county  which  hokls  the  widely  known  place  in 
the  Cumberland  Mountain  called  Pound  Gap — a  mere  depres- 
sion in  the  crest  of  the  mountain,  whose  lowest  point  is 
nearly  2,300  feet  above  sea  level.  All  railroads  projected 
through  this  part  of  Virginia,  leading  into  Kentucky,  generally 
have  Pound  Gap  as  an  objective  point,  thus  rendering  Wise 
County  almost  always  certain  to  be  traversed  either  through 
the  middle,  or  near  it,  by  the  proposed  routes. 

HOW  BOUNDED. 

As  just  now  remarked.  Wise  has  one  part  of  the  great 
Cumberland  Ridge  on  its  northern  or  northwestern  side,  and 
another  on  its  south  side.  The  northern  one  separates  it 
from  Kentucky,  and  the  southern,  in  part,  from  the  counties 
of  Eussell  and  Scott  in  Virginia,  while  a  part  of  the  county 
extends  over  and  down  to  Clinch  River  in  the  southeastern 
section,  and  down  to  and  across  Powell's  Riyer  in  the  south- 
western portion.  On  the  east  is  the  new  county  of  Dick- 
enson, and  west,  is  the  county  of  Lee. 

HOW  WATERED. 

Wise  County  gives  rise  to  the  head- waters  of  Powell's  Rivor, 
Gess's  River,  Pound  River,  and  other  forks  of  Russell's  Fork 
of  Sandy  River;  the  elevated  plateau,  a  few  miles  northwardly 
from  Gladeville,  the  county  site,  being  the  divide  betwc^cn 
the  waters  of  Russell's  Fork  and  those  of  Gess's  River ; 
while  Powell's  River  is  sejiarated  from  Gess's  River  by  a 
long,  high,  tliiii  ridge,  runidug  from  the  High  Knob  in  the 

border  of  Scott,  northwardly  to  the  Cumberland  Mountain. 

15 


226  WISE   CO. — IP.ON  ORES. 

Tlie  county  is  well  watered  ;  and  tliose  parts  wliich  partake 
more  particularly  of  tlie  limestone  character — as  Powell's 
Biver — enjoy  never-failing  streams,  generally  good  all  tlie 
year  round  for  milling  purposes  ;  but  in  the  strictly  sand- 
stone districts  this  condition  is  greatly  modified. 

lEON  ORES. 

The  count}',  extending,  as  it  does,  far  enough  to  the  south- 
west to  take  in  a  part  of  Waldin's  Eidge,  is  able  to  enumerate 
among  its  iron  ores  large  quantities  of  fossil  red  ore.  Per- 
haps the  quantity  of  fossil  ore  is  more  than  equal  to  that  of 
all  other  iron  ores  known  to  be  accessible  in  the  county. 
"While  it  is  true  that  there  are  considerable  quantities  of 
brown  iron  ore,  of  that  variety  which  is  supposed  to  result 
from  the  decomposition  of  iron  carbonate,  or  black  band  ore, 
there  have  not  been  sufficient  developments  as  yet  to  set- 
tle either  the  question  of  the  actual  derivation  of  this  brown 
ore  or  its  approximate  quantity.  Near  the  tops  of  the 
ridges,  throughout  almost  the  whole  extent  of  the  county, 
handsome  fragments  of  brown  ore  may  be  picked  up ;  but  to 
positively  assert  that  they  are  derived  from  the  decomjoosi- 
tion  of  carbonate  more  than  from  sulphuret,  would  be  taking 
too  much  for  granted  ;  and,  unfortunately,  there  have  been  no 
well-directed  efforts  at  showing  either  the  number,  thickness, 
or  true  character  of  the  veins  from  which  these  surface  ores 
are  derived.  That  they  will,  finally,  be  found  of  the  gen- 
eral character  of  the  iron  ores  of  the  same  coal  measures 
at  other  known  points  can  scarcely  be  doubted.  But  it  is  in 
the  neighborhood  of  Big  Stone  Gap,  toward  the  southwestern 
corner  of  the  county,  where  the  most  favorable  conditions 
exist  for  the  development  of  iron  industries.  At  that  point,  a 
large  proportion  of  such  brown  ores  as  that  section  of  the  coal 
field  will  yield  may  be  brought  down  to  a  common  point, 


WISE  COUNTY. 


227 


LEVELS     ABOVE'  TIDE 

5  5  2  S  g^  K  S?8' 

O    O  o     O    O  o 

o   o  o     O    O  Q, 


p 

P 
0 


© 

O 

c: 
B 

M 
t— < 
P 

y 


p 


-By  Stmir  Gap 
in  tituilcMtn. 


Powdla.Iiivef 


II  Ore 


]['aldi  Ji^  iiuTgo 


Iron  Oto 


228  WISE  CO. — COAL. 

toward  wliicli  botli  the  fossil  red  iron  ore  of  "Waldiu's  Ridge 
and  the  coal  will  all  naturally  gravitate,  their  position  in 
the  ground  being  within  a  few  miles  of  each  other. 

An  examination  of  the  map  accompanying  this  book  will 
readily  show  these  conditions  more  clearly  than  any  descrip- 
tion can ;  and  it  is  much  to  be  regretted  that  the  brown  iron 
ores  of  that  end  of  Powell's  Valley — not  in  the  coal  measures 
— should  have  been  so  little  developed  so  far  as  to  leave  the 
question  of  their  quantity  still  in  doubt.  Should  this  ques- 
tion once  be  settled  satisfactorily,  it  may  readily  be  inferred 
that  the  large  quantity  of  fossil  ore  would  find  a  most  con- 
venient and  effectual  counter-check  for  its  possible  impuri- 
ties in  an  abundance  of  pure  limonite.  In  fact,  it  is  grati- 
fying to  know  that  a  company  of  experienced  Pennsylvania 
iron  men  are  now  engaged  in  settling  this  question  in  a  most 
practicable  manner. 

The  accompanying  section  is  submitted  more  to  give  an 
idea  of  relative  positions  than  as  a  thoroughly  accurate  read- 
ing of  the  geology  of  that  immediate  locality.  In  it  may 
also  be  gathered  some  idea  of  the  truly  fine  exposures  of  the 
coal.* 

COAL. 

As  may  be  seen  from  some  of  the  measures  recorded  be- 
low in  the  foot-notes,  Wise  County  is  justly  celebrated  for  its 

*  In  the  immediate  Tieinity  of  Big  Stone  Gap,  on  Pigeon  Creek  and 
Looney's  Creek,  mentioned  in  the  cross  section,  the  field  notes  read  as  follows  : 

At  2,075  above  sea  level,  barometer  83°  Fahrenheit,  on  a  branch  flowing  south 
into  Pigeon  Creek,  at  a  point  1{  miles  from  Big  Stone  Gap,  on  lands  claimed 
by  Mathias  Kelly,  now  owned  and  soon  to  be  operated  by  the  Tinsaiia  Com- 
pany, found  coal  about  11  feet  thick  on  a  floor  of  slate,  roof  of  slate  4. feet, 
overlaid  with  sandstone.  The  vein  beginning  at  the  floor  measures  nearly  4 
feet  of  bituminous  coal,  then  4  inches  of  slate,  then  nearly  4  feet  of  coal 
(bituminous),  then  4  inches  of  slate,  then  nearly  4  feet  of  coal,  mainly  spUnt, 
up  to  the  roof. 


WISE  CO. — COAL.  229 

coal  veins.  Not  only  on  tlie  headwaters  of  Powell's  Eiver, 
but  on  Gess's  Kiver  and  tributaries,  Pound  River,  and  on  the 
streams  flowing  into  Russell's  Fork  of  Sandy  Eiver,  a  series 
of  rich  veins  of  bituminous,  splint,  and  cannel  coals  are  found 
lying  in  nearly  horizontal  beds,  and  outcropping  in  such  a 
manner,  in  many  places,  as  to  plainly  show  their  character  and 
thickness,  with  but  little  labor  on  the  part  of  the  prospector. 
Gess's  River  being  regarded  usually  as  the  line  which  most 
projected  through  railways  are  likely  to  take,  it  may  be  of 
interest  to  look  closely  at  the  facts  elicited  from  the  exam- 
inations which  have  been  made  up  and  down  that  stream. 
It  is  commonly  supposed  that  the  4  to  6  feet  vein,  which 
shows  about  water  level  in  the  river  near  Gess's  Station,  is 
the  lowest  of  that  series.  It  may  not  be  improper  to  suggest 
that  this  is  really  the  second  vein  of  consequence,  number- 
ing from  below,  in  the  lower  measures,  the  first  vein — of  about 
11  feet  thickness — being  under  it  less  than  80  feet,  while  above 
this  No.  2  vein  of  4  to  G  feet  are  three  other  principal  veins, 
respectively  (as  you  ascend)  4  feet  and  5  feet  of  bituminous 

At  the  Looney's  Creek  opening,  three  miles  north  from  Big  Stone  Gap, 
barometer  1,940  feet,  weather  damp,  thermometer  74°  Fahrenheit,  found  G8 
inches  of  coal  with  a  parting  of  5  inches  of  slate  near  the  top.  Of  this  coal 
10  inches  was  splint  coal,  floor  of  slate,  roof  of  slate,  8|  feet  thick  up  to  sand- 
stone. 

At  other  points  further  toward  the  head  of  Powell's  River,  readings  of  the 
coal  veins  were  obtained.  On  Black  Creek,  a  tributary  of  the  right-hand 
Fork  of  Powell's  River,  seven  miles  west-southwest  from  Gladeville,  saw  a  coal 
vein  0  feet  thick,  floor  of  clay  and  slate.  On  Rocky  Fork  of  Roaring  Fork, 
2,040  feet,  barometer  85  Fahrenheit,  found  a  coal  vein  7  feet  2  iiiclies  tliick, 
having  thin  seams  of  splint  coal,  with  two  partings  of  slate  4  inches  each  ; 
roof  of  black  slate  15  feet  thick  overlaid  witli  sandstone  ;  floor  of  slate  full 
of  fossils,  leading  down  20  feet  to  another  vein  of  coal  18  inches,  which  is 
bedded  on  sandstone.  This  is  83  miles  west  of  Gladeville.  Also  here  found  a 
deposit  of  red  iron  ore  of  unknown  extent,  of  peculiar  structure,  honeycombed, 
red,  light,  but  some  of  it  a  close  purplish  gray,  and  heavy,  very  likely  a 
decomposition  of  carbonate  of  iron. 


230  WISE   CO. — COAL. 

coal,  witli  the  upper  vein  4  feet  of  pure  cannel,  about  750 
feet  above  the  level  of  No.  2.  There  is  scarcely  any  need  to 
go  into  a  more  particular  description  of  these  veins.  They 
extend  with  but  little  intermission  over  nearly  all  the  county, 
except  that  they  are  eroded  by  the  streams,  and  the  cannel 
coal,  being  nearer  the  crests  of  the  higher  ridges,  does  not 
occupy  more  than  half  the  area  that  the  other  veins  do. 

The  reading  of  these  measures  is  fully  sustained,  not  only 
by  the  careful  examinations  made  by  the  author,  but  Maktin 
CoEYELL,  Esq.,  an  experienced  and  reliable  mining  engineer, 
gives  very  much  the  same  readings,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
results  of  earlier  examinations  made  by  Me.  J.  P.  Lesley 
and  others. 

The  industrial  value  of  the  coals  of  Wise  County  can 
scarcely  be  overestimated.  The  day  must  surely  come  when 
they  will  be  so  largely  employed  in  industries  carried  on  in 
Virginia  that  their  great  quantity,  purity,  and  excellence 
must  make  them  perform  a  great  part  of  that  giant  task 
of  relieving  Virginia  from  her  pecuniary  embarrassments. 
Could  a  large  proportion  of  the  Virginia  capital,  which  is 
now  being  sent  outside  of  the  State  annually  for  fuel,  be  in- 
vested in  Wise  and  the  neighboring  coal  counties,  it  would 
be  but  a  short  time  that,  from  this  source  alone,  the  tax-pay- 
ing power  of  those  communities  Avould  be  so  increased  as  to 
materially  alleviate  the  financial  distress  of  the  State,  if  not 
go  very  far  toward  its  entire  extinguishment. 

It  may  be  as  well  to  say,  before  dismissing  this  important 
subject,  that  all  analyses  which  have  been  made  of  the  coals 
of  Wise  County  show  a  low  percentage  of  ash,  and  a  high 
percentage  of  combustible  matter.  And  it  would  be  well 
also  to  say,  that  the  coals  along  the  Pound  Eiver  and  the 
tributaries  of  Eussell's  Fork  of  Sandy  Eiver,  are  of  the  same 
general  character,  thickness,  etc.,  as  those  already  described. 

We  quote  the  following  extract  from  the  report  of  Peof. 


WISE  CO. — COAL.  231 

Jno.  J.  Stevenson,  professor  of  geology  in  tlie  University  of 
the  City  of  New  York : 

"  The  coal  area  is  well  opened  up  by  the  several  branches 
of  Pigeon  Fork  as  well  as  by  Looney  Creek,  Calahan's 
Creek,  Cauepatch  Fork,  and  other  tributaries  to  Eoaring 
Fork.  At  the  immediate  base  of  Stone  Mountain  the  dip  is 
very  abrupt,  but  it  quickly  diminishes,  so  that  on  the  oppo- 
site side  of  Eoaring  and  Pigeon  Forks  it  is  but  two  degrees- 
The  decrease  is  rapid,  and  within  a  mile  the  inclination  of  the 
beds  is  little  more  than  sufficient  for  convenient  drainage. 

"  Though  the  streams  have  cut  deep  channel-ways  so  as  to 
bring  the  coals  above  water  level  in  a  great  part  of  the  area, 
yet  the  general  section  was  obtained  witli  some  difficulty,  as 
there  has  been  little  development  and  the  whole  surface  is 
covered  by  dense  undergrowth.  The  intervals  in  the  section 
may  require  some  modification  as  they  were  measured  with 
an  aneroid  barometer. 

"  The  succession  as  obtained  is  as  follows : 

1.  Not  examined  in  detail 300' 

2.  Coal  bed 0' 4" 

3.  Interval 30' 

4.  Splint  coal  hcd 1'  5" 

5.  Interval 115' 

6.  Coal  led 0' G" 

7.  Interval 70' 

8.  Coal  led 2' 

9.  Interval 14' 

10.  Splint  coal  bed 1' 

11.  Interval 90' 

12.  Coalh&l 0'4" 

13.  Interval 30' 

14.  Coal  led 0'  10" 

15.  Interval G5' 


232  WISE  CO. — COAL. 

16.  Coolhed 7'  3" 

17.  Interval 35' 

18.  Splint  coal  bed 3'  6" 

19.  Interval 60' 

20.  Splint  coolhed 1'  6" 

21.  Interval 120' 

22.  Coal  bed Blossom. 

23.  Interval 70' 

24.  Coal  bed 1'  2"  to      2" 

25.  Interval 28'        to  20' 

26.  Coolhed 15'        to      2" 

27.  Interval 50'        to  45' 

28.  Coal  bed 8'  5"  to  6'  9" 

29.  Interval 206' 

30.  Coal  bed 2' 

31.  Interval 50' 

32.  Coal  bed 2' 

33.  Interval 100  ? 

34.  Coal  bed 5' 

35.  Interval  to  conglomerate 80'  ? 

Total 1,548' 

"  Tlie  exposures  are  most  satisfactory  on  the  tributaries  of 
Calahan's  Creek,  a  tributary  to  Boaring  Fork.  The  higher 
coals  are  of  no  importance. 

"  Coal  bed.  No.  16,  is  well  shown  on  Preacher's  Eun  at 
about  two  miles  above  where  it  enters  Calahan's  Creek, 
where  it  shows 

Cannel 2' 

Alternations  of  coal  and  shale 1'  10" 

Coal 3'     5" 

"  The  cannel  is  compact  and  of  by  no  means  inferior  quality, 
though  it  may  contain  as  much  as  12  per  cent,  of  ash.     The 


WISE  CO. — COAL.  233 

bituminous  coal  at  the  base  of  tlie  bed  is  good  and  seems  to  be 
quite  free  from  sulphur.  The  same  bed  was  seen  near  the 
head  of  Calahan's  Creek,  where  it  is  worthless,  being  in  three 
benches,  respectively  5,  14,  and  5  inches  thick,  separated  by 
10  and  7  feet  of  shale. 

"  Coal  bed,  No.  18,  was  seen  on  Preacher's  Run  and  near  the 
head  of  Calahan's  Creek.  At  the  former  locality,  near  two 
miles  above  the  mouth  of  the  Run,  it  is  3'  6"  thick,  and  is 
splint  coal  of  superior  excellence.  The  roof  is  a  hard  sand- 
stone. On  Calahan's  Creek  it  is  but  18  inches  thick  and  is 
worthless.  Fragments  of  the  coal  from  this  bed  were  seen  on 
Looney  Creek,  but  the  bed  itself  is  concealed. 

"No.  20  was  seen  on  Preacher's  Run  and  Looney  Creek,  but 
its  place  is  concealed  at  all  other  localities  examined.  On 
Looney  Creek  it  is  4'  6"  thick,  and  is  well  exposed  in  the 
bank  of  the  stream  at  about  three  miles  above  its  mouth. 
The  coal  is  clean  and  evidently  an  excellent  splint.  The  same 
bed  is  shown  at  the  forks  of  Preacher's  Run,  two  miles  above 
its  mouth,  where  it  is  from  3  feet  to  3  feet  6  inches  thick  and 
is  a  good  splint  coal,  though  the  quality  seems  to  be  hardly 
equal  to  that  of  tlie  coal  on  Looney  Creek.  The  blossom  of 
this  bed  was  seen  near  the  crest  of  the  hill  overlooking  the 
mouth  of  Looney  Creek.  At  all  localities  the  bed  has  an  ex- 
cellent roof  and  it  can  be  worked  very  easily. 

"Coal  bed.  No.  26,  is  persistent  but  exceedingly  variable.  It 
has  been  opened  on  Pigeon  Fork  at  probably  two  thirds  of  a 
mile  above  the  mouth  of  the  stream,  where  the  structure  is 

Cord. G'  10 " 

Shale O'lO" 

Coal 4' 6" 


Coal 2'  o 

Shale 0'  2"  tob' 


Total 14'  10" 


234:  WISE   CO. — CO.\L. 

A  similar  structure  is  shown  on  tlie  first  branch  of  Pigeon 
Fork.  At  both  exposures  the  upper  division  is  slaty  and  in- 
ferior ;  the  middle  division  is  prismatic  and  cokes  well ;  the 
lower  division  is  a  good  splint  coal,  though  toward  the  base 
it  becomes  somewhat  slaty.  On  Looney  Creek,  only  the 
middle  and  lower  divisions  are  present,  the  upper  one  having 
been  removed  by  a  horseback ;  the  coal  of  those  divisions 
shows  the  same  features  as  on  Pigeon  Creek,  though  the 
middle  division  is  better,  and  is  packed  in  sacks  to  a  distance 
of  several  miles  for  the  use  of  blacksmiths.  On  Kelly's  Eun 
and  Church  House  Eun,  branches  of  Calahan's  Creek,  the 
bed  is  thin,  probably  not  more  than  two  feet,  while  on 
Preacher's  Eun  it  is  but  two  inches.  It  is  10  inches  thick 
on  Calahan  and  the  coal  is  poor.  An  imperfect  exposure  was 
found  on  a  branch  of  Eoaring  Fork,  at,  say,  a  mile  above  the 
mouth  of  Calahan,  where  the  bed  seems  to  be  A^ery  thick. 

"  Coed  hed,  No.  28,  is  the  most  important  and  least  variable 
of  the  whole  series.  It  was  seen  on  Pigeon  Fork  and  one  of 
itL.  branches,  on  Church  House,  Kelly's  and  Preacher's  Euns, 
as  well  as  on  Lewis's  Branch  of  Eoaring  Fork  at  about  three 
miles  above  the  head  of  Big  Stone  Gap.  No  exposure  was 
found  on  Looney  Creek  or  on  Calahan,  the  bed  being  con- 
cealed at  the  level  of  those  creeks.  On  Church  House  Eun 
an  opening  shows 

Coal 310' 

Shale 0'    5" 

Coal 3'    6" 


7'    9" 


The  top  of  the  bed  for  11  inches  is  a  hard  slaty  splint,  but 
the  remainder  of  the  upper  bench  is  very  soft  and  some  of  it 
has  a  prismatic  structure.  The  lower  bench  is  less  soft.  An 
exposure  near  the  mouth  of  Preacher's  Eun  shows  : 


WISE  CO. — THE  IRON   OEES.  235 

Coal 2'    8" 

Parting 

Coal r 

Shale 0'    3" 

Coal 3' 


6'  11" 


At  a  mile  further  up  the  creek  the  bed  shows  the  same  struc- 
ture, but  is  only  6  feet  9  inches  thick.  A  small  rick  of  coke 
made  here  proves  that  the  coal  will  burn  into  a  compact  sil- 
very coke  of  great  strength.  On  Kelly's  Fork  the  bed  is  some- 
what larger,  the  benches  being  4  feet  5  inches  and  3  feet  9 
inches  respectively,  separated  by  three  inches  of  shale.  The 
bed  is  nearly  8  feet  thick  on  Lewis's  Branch  of  Roaring  Fork. 

"  The  lower  coals  of  the  series  are  unimportant.  The  lowest 
coal  was  seen  only  in  the  bed  of  Pigeon  Fork  very  near  the 
base  of  the  Stone  Mountain,  where  the  dip  is  nearly  GO  de- 
grees. 

"  The  intervals  between  the  coal  beds  are  occupied  almost 
wholly  by  sandstone,  most  of  which  is  compact.  Limestone 
is  almost  wholly  wanting. 


% 

"THE  IRON  ORES. 


"Three  beds  of  the  fossiUferous  ore  were  found  in  the  Poor 
Valley,  between  Poor  Valley  Eidge  and  Stone  Mountain. 
The  highest  one  is  exposed  in  the  bank  of  Powell's  Piiver  at 
about  200  yards  above  the  ford  leading  to  the  Big  Stone  Gap, 
where  it  is  from  5  to  8  inches  thick.  This  bed  was  not  traced, 
but  it  clearly  follows  tlie  bottom  for  a  long  distance,  and  lies 
cast  from  the  river  below  the  ford  leading  to  Cedar  Gap 
Church.     The  dip  is  north-northwest  at  50  degrees. 

"  The  second  bed  was  seen  on  Mr.  Horton's  property  at 


236  WISE   CO. — THE  lEON   ORES. 

about  a  mile  and  a  lialf  from  tlie  Big  Stone  Gap.     There  it 
sliows 

Hard  ore 3' 

Medium  ore 0'  8" 

Hard  ore 1' 

Soft  ore 2'  6' 


7' 2' 


The  strike  here  is  not  far  from  north  40^  east  Mag.,  and  the 
dip  is  45  degrees  toward  the  northwest.  The  exposure  is  con- 
tinuous for  a  long  distance,  and  the  soft  ore  at  the  bottom  is 
very  good.  Doubtless  the  whole  of  the  ore  from  this  bed,  ex- 
cepting the  very  hard  ore  from  the  top,  could  be  utilized  in 
a  furnace. 

"  A  third  bed  was  seen  near  the  Cedar  Gap  Church,  but  the 
exposure  is  somewhat  indefinite,  and  the  soft  ore  seems  to  be 
present  in  comparatively  small  quantity. 

"  The  lower  two  beds  are  present  on  the  north  side  of  Wal- 
din's  Eidge,  but  the  ore  was  not  found  in  place.  Large  frag- 
ments of  it  occur  plentifully  on  the  side  of  the  mountain,  and 
the  beds  could  be  discovered  without  serious  difficulty. 

"  The  fossiliferous  ore  is  present  on  the  south  of  Waldin's 
Eidge.  A  bed  was  found  on  the  Preston  tract  at  less  than 
four  miles  from  Big  Stone  Gap,  which  is  25  inches  thick  and 
dips  eastward  at  but  10  degrees.  Its  outcrop  can  be  followed 
round  and  on  both  sides  of  a  low  ridge  sej^arating  two  hol- 
lows, and  the  ore  can  be  mined  with  equal  ease  on  the  side  of 
a  similar  ridge  lying  immediately  west.  It  is  not  too  much 
to  assume  that  there  are  500  acres  of  good  ore  land  on  this 
tract.  The  most  of  this  lies  under  thin  cover,  and  much  of 
the  ore  can  be  obtained  by  stripping.  Drifting,  however,  can 
be  performed  easily,  as  the  ore  can  be  opened  so  that  the 
mines  will  drain  themselves. 


WISE   CO. — THE  mON   ORES.  237 

"  At  a  little  way  further  south  westward  along  the  face  of  the 
ridge  another  and  possibly  a  lower  bed  of  the  ore  was"  seen, 
which  shows 

Soft  ore 2' 

Hard  ore 2'  2' 

4' 2" 

overlying  one  foot  of  ferruginous  shale.  This  rests  on  a  flag- 
gy sandstone,  and  the  roof  of  the  ore  is  a  clay  shale  which  can 
be  removed  easily.  The  soft  ore  is  double,  the  upper  part 
for  somewhat  more  than  one  foot  being  extremely  soft,  so  that 
it  could  be  removed  with  a  spade,  while  the  lower  part  is 
made  up  of  the  ordinary  ore.  The  hard  ore  is  very  hard  and 
shows  few  fossils.  This  bed  is  hardly  so  favorably  situated 
as  the  other,  for  the  dip  is  directly  away  from  the  exposure. 
Still  a  drift  could  be  so  arranged  that  an  enormous  quantity 
of  the  ore  could  be  won  without  resort  to  artificial  drainage. 
The  hollow  is  a  long  one,  and  the  ore  can  be  stripped  to  a  dis- 
tance of  fifteen  feet  from  the  outcrop  without  much  trouble. 

"  The  fossil  ores  occur  also  on  the  south  face  of  Powell's 
Mountain  south  from  the  Ward's  Mill  or  Slemp's  Gap.  This 
area  is  known  as  the  Kane  survey,  and,  by  the  proposed  rail- 
road, is  about  fourteen  miles  from  the  Big  Stone  Gap.  Three 
beds  were  seen  there.  The  top  one  is  thin,  very  silicious, 
and  of  little  value.  The  second  bed  has  been  opened  so  as 
to  show  its  structure,  which  is 

Ore 2' 

Shale 1' 

Limestone  and  ore 0'  5" 

Shale 0'4" 

Ore 0'5" 

Shale 0'4" 

Ore r 


238  WISE  CO. — LIMESTONE. 

The  ore  is  good  and  would  doubtless  repay  the  cost  of  drift- 
ing ;  but  it  is  leaner  than  the  ores  of  Waldin's  Eidge  and 
Poor  Valley,  which  have  been  described  already.  The  third 
bed  is  at  about  50  feet  below  this  and  shows 

Very  soft  ore 1'  3" 

Hard  ore 1'  6" 

The  ore  is  evidently  lean,  but  it  can  be  mined  very  cheaply  as 
the  face  of  Powell's  Mountain  is  cut  by  many  deep  and  long 
ravines,  which  expose  the  beds. 

"  The  Lower  Helderberg  rocks  along  the  valley  between 
Waldin's  Eidge  and  Powell's  Mountain,  as  well  as  the  valley 
between  Stone  Mountain  and  Powell's  Mountain,  yield  some 
Iroivn  hematite.  Two  horizons  of  this  ore  were  seen,  but  no 
estimate  respecting  the  quantity  ca'n  be  made  until  after  sys- 
tematic exploration  of  the  property.  The  ore  is  very  good 
at  some  localities,  and  much  of  it  was  mined  on  the  Collier 
tract,  now  belonging  to  the  company,  which  was  reduced  in  a 
furnace  below  Ward's  Mill. 

"  LIMESTONE. 

"  The  lower  Carboniferous  limestone  is  shown  in  sharply 
dipping  cliffs  on  both  sides  of  Big  Stone  Gap,  and  extends 
along  the  south  face  of  Stone  Mountain,  from  the  Little  Stone 
Gap  westward  to  beyond  Pennington's  Gap,  near  the  Tennes- 
see line.  It  is  shown  as  a  cliff  on  the  north  side  of  Powell's 
Mountain  from  the  Little  Stone  Gap  to  the  Ward's  Mill  Gap, 
where  the  ISforth  Pork  of  Clinch  Eiver  breaks  through  the 
mountain. 

"  The  Helderberg  limestones,  which  are  well  shown  in  the 
Poor  Valley  at  but  a  little  way  above  the  Cedar  Gap  Church, 
and  in  a  line  of  low  hills  almost  directly  opposite  the  Big 
Stone  Gap,  are  for  the  most  part  silicious  ;  but  near  the  top 


WISE  CO. — GENEKAL  SUMMLAHY  OF  THE  EESOUECES.  239 

of  tlie  lower  division  of  tlie  limestone  a  tliin  bed  was  seen 
which  is  of  good  quality. 

"  The  Trenton  limestone  is  not  reached  within  the  area  con- 
trolled by  the  company,  but  is  well  exposed  for  miles  along 
the  north  side  of  Waldin's  Kidge  west  from  the  Cedar  Gap. 

"GENEEAL    SUJ0L\EY    of    the    RESOURCES. 

"  The  available  coal  seams  are  four — the  two  splint  beds,  the 
15  foot  and  the  8  foot  bed.  Eventually  the  cannel  bed  may 
become  valuable,  but  at  present  it  may  be  omitted. 

"  The  splint  coals  lie  well  up  in  the  series,  and  the  extent  of 
area  which  they  underlie  cannot  be  determined  by  a  hasty  ex- 
amination ;  but  it  can  hardly  be  less  than  5,000  acres,  within 
the  area  drained  by  Calahan's  Creek,  and  lying  between  that 
stream  and  Looney  Creek.  These  beds  yield  a  coal  of  very 
superior  quality,  as  apj^ears  from  the  following  analysis  by 
Mr.  a.  S.  McCreath,  chemist  to  the  Geological  Survey  of 
Pennsylvania.     The  sample  was  taken  from  the  upper  bed. 

Water 0.880 

Volatile  matter 37.580 

Fixed  carbon 58.059 

Sulphur 0.406 

Ash 3.075 

"  This  coal  is  sufficiently  pure  to  be  used  raw  in  the  fur- 
nace, the  percentage  of  ash  and  suli)liur  being  unusually  low. 

"  These  two  beds  will  yield  not  far  from  8,000  tons  jier  acre. 
Estimating  tlie  area  of  easily  rained  coal  at  5,000  acres,  the 
yield  will  not  be  far  from  40,000,000  tons. 

"  A  specimen  was  taken  from  the  middle  division  of  the  14 
foot  bed,  which  yielded  the  folhjwiiig  upon  analysis  by  Mb. 
McCreath  : 


240  WISE  CO. — GENEKAL  SUMMAEY  OF  THE  RESOURCES. 

Water 1.610 

Volatile  matter 38.850 

Fixed  carbon 57.879 

Sulpliur 0.771 

Ash 0.890 

"  As  a  gas  coal  ttis  can  hardly  be  excelled.  It  cokes  read- 
ily, and  the  coke,  if  compact  enough,  should  be  of  excellent 
quality.  No  analysis  of  the  lower  division  was  made  ;  it  is  a 
splint  coal  which  will  be  well  worth  working.  This  bed  is 
uncertain  in  its  occurrence,  and  seems  to  attain  its  chief  im- 
portance west  of  the  line  of  Preacher's  Run,  having  been 
found  of  large  size  only  on  Looney  Creek  and  on  the  waters 
of  Pigeon  Fork. 

"  The  8  foot  seam  being  the  most  persistent  and  least  vari- 
able of  the  whole  series,  and  being  likely  to  prove  the  most 
valuable,  as  its  coal  yields  an  admirable  coke,  I  took  sam- 
ples from  all  the  benches  and  directed  that  they  be  analyzed 
as  one.  The  result,  as  obtained  by  Me.  McCreath,  is  as 
follows : 

Water 1.380 

Volatile  matter 35.920 

Fixed  carbon 60.591 

Sulphur 0.594 

Ash 1.515 

"  In  reference  to  these  coals  Mr.  McCreath  says  : 
" '  The  above  analyses  speak  for  themselves,  and  indicate 
coals  of  remarkable  purity.' 

"  This  8  foot  seam  will  yield  a  coke  with  considerably  Jess 
than  d  per  cent,  of  ash,  and  loitJi  hut  little  more  than  Jive  tenths  of 
a  per  cent,  of  sulphur.  Such  would  be  a  marvelously  rich  coke, 
the  percentage  of  fixed  carbon  being  someivhat  more  than  96. 
The  Connellsville  coke  has  somewhat  less  than  90  per  cent. 


WISE   CO. — GENERAL   SUMMARY   OF   THE   RESOURCES.         241 

of  fixed  carbon,  the  asli  is  between  9  and  10  per  cent.,  wliile 
the  average  of  sulplinr  is  about  eight  tenths  of  a  per  cent. 
The  coke  from  this  bed  is  better  than  that  from  the  Oxmoor 
Works,  in  the  Cahawba  basin  of  Alabama,  which  shows 

Fixed  carbon 93.253 

Sulphur 0.601 

Ash 5.380 

**  A  small  rick  of  coke  was  made  from  the  8  foot  seam  on 
Preacher's  Run.  Though  carelessly  made  in  disobedience  of 
the  instructions,  the  coke  proved  to  be  of  great  strength. 
8,000  acres  are  underlain  with  this  bed  between  Looney 
Creek  and  Roaring  Creek,  which  will  yield  64,000,000  of  tons 
without  resort  to  artificial  drainage. 

*'  The  iron  ores  of  widest  distribution  are  the  fossil  ores.  No 
effort  had  been  made  previous  to  the  time  of  my  examination 
to  secure  a  good  exposure  of  these  ores,  and  the  beds  were 
traced  by  their  outcrop.  Some  difficulty  was  encountered  in 
obtaining  specimens  which  had  not  been  exposed  for  a  long 
period  to  the  weather,  and  collections  were  made  only  on  the 
south  side  of  Waldin's  Ridge.  These  were  sent  to  Mr. 
McCreath,  wlio  gives  the  following  as  the  results  of  the 
analysis : 

No.  1.  No.  2. 

Metallic  iron 27.960  52  600 

Sulphur 0.024  0.018 

Phosphorus 0.064  0.116 

Insoluble  residue 55.015  18.140 

"  No.  2  is  from  the  company's  property  on  the  Preston  tract, 
and  is  precisely  like  the  ore  w]ii(;li  the  company  has  secured 
on  the  Horton  tract  in  the  Poor  Vall(iy.  It  is  an  excellent 
ore,  and  is  present  in  enormous  (piantity.     It  will  give  an 

iron  with  but  .22  per  cent,  of  jihosphorus.     The  analysis, 

in 


242  ■WISE   CO. — GENERAL  SUMMARY   OF  THE   RESOURCES. 

No.  1,  is  from  a  tract  not  far  from  Big  Stone  Gap.  The 
sample  is  not  a  fair  specimen  of  the  ore,  as  it  contains  many 
rounded  quartz  pebbles ;  but  no  other  specimen  could  be 
obtained  from  the  outcrop. 

"A  sample  of  the  brown  hematite,  found   also  near  Big- 
Stone  Gap,  Mr.  McCreath  finds  to  be  as  follows : 

Metallic  iron 52.550 

Sulphur 0.037 

Phosphorus 0.051 

Insoluble  residue 7.840 

"  This  is  an  excellent  ore,  and  is  well  adapted  to  the  manu- 
facture of  Bessemer  pig. 

"  No  analyses  were  made  of  the  limestone  at  the  mouth  of 
Big  Stone  Gap.  It  is  an  excellent  rock,  burning  into  fine 
white  lime,  and  seems  to  be  almost  free  from  silica. 

"  All  these  materials  are  in  close  proximity  to  each  other, 
and  there  are  few  localities  more  favorably  situated  for  the 
manufacture  of  iron.  Coke  can  be  brought  from  the  pits, 
barely  two  miles  away,  on  a  down  grade ;  the  fossil  ore  is  but 
little  more  than  one  mile  away,  while  some  of  the  ore  is  dis- 
tant but  three  miles,  and  is  directly  on  the  line  of  the  rail- 
road now  in  course  of  construction.  The  splint  coal  can  be 
mined  cheaply,  and  it  can  be  used  with  the  coke  in  the  fur- 
nace. The  purity  of  the  coke  and  of  the  splint  coal  would 
aid  in  making  an  iron  of  exceptional  excellence.  The  cost  of 
making  iron  here  may  be  estimated  as  follows  : 

2.25  tons  of  ore  at  $1.40  per  ton $3.15 

2  tons  of  coke 2.00 

1.5  tons  of  limestone 0.60 

Labor  at  furnace 1.50 

Bepairs  and  incidentals 1.00 

"Making  a  total  cost  of  $8.25  per  ton,  which  may  prove 


WISE   CO. — BUILDING  STONES.  2-13 

somewliat  in  excess  of  the  absolute  cost   of   material   and 
labor. 

"  A  cbarcoal  furnace  could  be  managed  to  good  advantage 
in  connection  with  the  larger  coke  furnace.  The/oss{^  ores 
have  long  been  used  in  the  manufacture  of  cold-blast  char- 
coal iron,  and  under  that  treatment  in  the  Poor  Valley  they 
produce  a  pig  with  but  .17  per  cent,  of  phosphorus.  An 
enormous  quantity  of  excellent  coaling  timber  is  found  on 
these  lands,  and  the  charcoal  could  be  obtained  at  not  more 
than  three  dollars  per  hundred  bushels.  A  small  furnace  of 
this  kind,  though  not  affording  much  direct  profit,  would  be 
of  advantage  indirectly,  since  in  the  manufacture  of  the 
charcoal  a  large  part  of  the  land  could  be  cleared  and  fitted 
for  occupation  by  farmers.  The  region  is  admirably  adapted 
to  stock  raising,  while  much  of  it  lies  in  such  a  position  that 
vineyards  could  not  fail  to  be  profitable." 

IJEAD. 

Lead  is  sometimes  found  in  small  quantities  in  a  stratum 
of  limestone  belong;innj  in  the  coal  measures,  but  not  in  sufli- 
cient  quantities  to  attract  the  attention  of  miners. 

SILVER. 

Silver  is  now  and  then  observed  in  the  quartz  pebbles  com- 
posing the  conglomerates,  and  may  be  found  at  some  points 
in  respectable  quantities.  It  is  liardly  to  be  expected  tliat 
any  reliable  data  will  ever  be  gathered  upon  which  extensive 
mining  operations  will  be  based,  looking  to  silver  mining  as 
a  profital>le  source  of  investment. 

BUILDING  STONES. 

The  sandstone  lodges  in  a  groat  many  parts  of  Wise  re- 
semble those   of  Buclianan  County  in  the  cheapness  with 


2M  WISE    CO. — ^AGRICULTUKE. 

■which  they  can  be  quarried  and  made  ready  for  use  in  any 
desired  shape  or  size.  Much  of  this  stone  is  so  soft  in  the 
quarry  as  to  readily  admit  of  being  cut  with  a  knife,  but 
upon  sufficient  exposure,  becoming  quite  hard  and  durable. 

TIMBER. 

Upon  this  subject  too  much  cannot  be  said  of  the  variety 
and  beauty  of  fine  woods  in  the  county. 

Cherry  is  very  common  in  the  Big  Black  Mountain,  toward 
the  northeastern  side  of  the  county.  Its  abundance  is  one 
of  its  great  features.  Of  all  other  trees  known  to  the  lati- 
tude— prominent  among  which  is  poplar,  or  the  great  Ameri- 
can tulip  tree — there  is  such  great  abundance  as  to  apjDear 
totally  beyond  the  possibility  of  extermination.  The  girth 
and  length  of  trunk  of  the  trees  in  these  vast  and  almost 
boundless  forests  are  surprising.  Oftentimes  the  poplars 
are  found  6  and  8  feet  in  diameter  and  sometimes  larger, 
with  long  straight  trunks  75  or  80  feet  without  a  limb.  The 
cherry  trees  are  also  surprisingly  large  and  beautiful. 

AGRICULTURE. 

Agriculture  in  connection  with  sheep  raising  would  yield  a 
more  certain  return  on  a  large  scale  than  any  other  branch 
of  farming.  That  section  of  the  county  on  Powell's  Biver 
below  Big  Stone  Gap,  mostly  limestone,  is  well  adapted  to 
any  description  of  farming,  being  similar  in  this  respect  to 
that  part  of  the  county  in  Clinch  Eiver  near  Wheeler's 
Ford ;  but  the  greater  part  is  composed  of  sandstone  ridges 
and  plateaus,  which  seem  to  sustain  sheep  better  than  cattle  ; 
besides  from  their  steepness  in  many  places  presenting  poorer 
facilities  for  all  kinds  of  farming  than  the  more  level  lands 
on  the  river  do.     Notwithstanding  this  fact,  these  lands  pro- 


"WISE  CO. — SCHOOLS.  245 

duce  corn  well,  appearing  to  be   very  fertile.     Sweet  and 
Irisli  potatoes  do  well. 

MAMJFACTUEES. 

It  may  well  be  inferred,  that  without  railway  or  other  im- 
proved modes  of  transportation,  there  has  been  but  little 
encouragement  to  engage  in  manufacturing  enterprises.  At 
Big  Stone  Gap  a  company  has  recently  secured  large  areas 
of  coal,  timber,  and  iron  ore  lands,  with  a  view  of  erecting 
furnaces  for  the  production  of  metal  on  a  large  scale ;  but  it 
is  not  supposed  that  the  works  will  be  put  actively  into 
operation  until  the  Bristol  Coal  and  Iron  Bailroad,  and  the 
Richmond  and  Southern  Railway  are  built. 

At  Three  Forks  of  Powell's  Eiver,  just  below  Big  Stone 
Gap,  there  is  one  of  the  very  few  pottery  establishments  in 
Virginia.  It  is  true  it  is  not  on  a  large  scale,  but  if  kept  up 
until  the  contemplated  railway  lines  are  built,  there  is  no 
reason  why  it  could  not  largely  increase  its  working  capacity. 
Mr.  Wolf,  the  proprietor,  deserves  much  credit  for  the  excel- 
lent drain  pipes  his  factory  makes,  besides  pottery  of  various 
patterns.  It  is  very  probable  that  the  carboniferous  strata 
close  by  furnish  the  clay  used.  Drain  pipes  are  sold  there 
at  15  cents  per  foot. 

The  streams,  except  Powell's  Biver,  being  rather  incon- 
stant during  much  of  the  year,  there  are  few  other  manufac- 
turing enterj)rises  worthy  of  note,  except  grist  and  saw-mills. 

SCHOOLS. 

Wise  County  depends  mainly  iipon  hor  public  schools  for 
instruction,  and  tlie  population  as  yet  being  s])arso,  the  suc- 
cess which  attends  the  system  in  other  parts  of  the  State  is 
not  so  marked  in  Wise.  This,  liowover,  is  a  small  matter ; 
for  as  soon  as  the  mining  facilities  of  the  county  are  once 


246  DICKENSON   COUNTY. 

utilized  to  any  extent,  tlie  consequent  increase  in  population 
and  revenues  will  enable  tlie  Superintendent  of  Education  to 
place  the  county  upon  an  admirable  footing.  The  same  may 
be  said  of  the  other  counties  contiguous. 

TEADE  m  CATTLE,   ETC. 

"Wise  County  sells  annually  about  2,000  head  of  stock  cattle 
and  3,300  head  of  sheep. 

There  is  still  a  considerable  trade  in  ginseng,  herbs  of  dif- 
ferent kinds,  and  wool.  It  will  not  be  forgotten  by  the  reader 
that  there  are  no  developments  yet  of  the  coal  and  iron  of 
this  county,  hence  the  trade  of  every  kind  is  very  small.  The 
culture  of  the  grape  and  of  bees  is  a  question  of  much  inter- 
est in  certain  parts  of  the  county. 


DICKENSON    COUNTY. 

Dickenson  is  a  new  county  lying  between  the  counties  of 
Buchanan  and  Wise,  and  was  formed  by  Act  of  Legislature, 
session  1879-80,  from  the  two  counties  named. 

It  is  a  small  county,  as  may  be  seen  by  referring  to  the 
map  ;  but  it  has  a  wealth  of  fine  bituminous,  splint,  and  can- 
nel  coals,  unsurpassed  by  the  same  area  anywhere.  The 
timber  is  truly  magnificent,  and  stretches  in  an  almost  un- 
broken forest  all  over  the  county.  The  poplar  trees  are  fine 
and  very  numerous.  There  is  also  a  great  deal  of  walnut, 
white  oak,  and  other  valuable  woods.  The  county  produces 
corn  and  sweet  potatoes  well,  and  ranges  a  good  many  cattle 
and  sheep.  The  scenery  of  the  county  is  very  imposing  here 
and  there,  especially  that  in  the  deep  caiion  about  the  breaks 
of  the  Cumberland  Mountain,  in  the  lower  or  northern  end  of 
the  county,  on  Eussell's  Fork  of  Sandy  Eiver,  by  which  stream 
the  county  is  chiefly  watered. 


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BUCHANAN  CO. — HOW  WATEEED.  247 

BUCHANAN  COUNTY. 

The  description  of  this  county  will  be  mostly  confined  to 
an  account  of  its  coal  and  timber.  Its  land  is  almost  with- 
out exception  sandy.  In  many  parts  the  loamy  character  of 
the  soil  renders  it  very  fertile  ;  but  greater  care  has  to  be 
taken  to  keep  it  up  to  its  original  strength  than  the  limestone 
soils.  The  salt  of  Buchanan  would  prove  an  important  item 
if  developed.  The  rocks  appear  to  dip  in  such  a  way  as  to 
form  several  basins,  fully  capable  of  holding  sufficient  of  the 
drainage  from  the  salt-bearing  series  of  rocks  for  all  purposes 
of  salt-making  on  a  large  scale.  The  scenery  of  this  county 
here  and  there  is  grand  and  beautiful  in  the  extreme.  At 
the  breaks  of  the  Cumberland  Mountain  on  Kussell's  Fork 
of  Sandy  River,  this  is  the  case  in  an  eminent  degree,  pre- 
senting a  piece  of  scenery  rarely  met  with  this  side  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains. 

HOW  BOUNDED. 

Buchanan  is  one  of  the  extreme  border  counties  of  the 
State,  in  the  great  plateau  of  the  Cumberland  Mountains,  hav- 
ing Kentucky  on  the  north  and  northwest,  West  Virginia  on 
the  east,  Tazewell  and  Russell  counties,  Va.,  on  the  south,  and 
Wise  County,  Va.,  on  the  west.  The  main  Cumberland  Ridge 
is  its  northern  and  northwestern  boundary  line  ;  its  southern 
the  Sandy  Ridge  or  southern  bifurcation  of  the  Cumberland 
Mountain ;  its  eastern  line  is  on  a  great  dividing  ridge 
between  the  waters  of  the  Louisa  and  Dry  Forks  of  Sandy 
River,  and  its  western  line  is  an  irregular  one,  soon  to  be  dis- 
turbed by  the  laying  off  of  the  new  county  of  Dickousou. 

HOW  WATERED. 

The  southern  boundary  line  of  the  county,  in  folhiwing  the 
general  crest  of  the  Sandy  Ridge,  divides  the  waters  of  Sandy 


248  BUCHANAN   CO.— GEOLOGY. 

Kiver  from  tliose  of  Clincli  Eirer,  Sandy  River  having  two  of 
its  branches — the  Louisa  Fork  and  Russell's  Fork — to  take 
their  source  in  the  southern  part  of  the  county,  and  fl.o"w 
northwardly  into  Kentucky ;  the  former  watering  the  eastern 
part  of  the  county,  and  the  latter  the  western  portion.  These 
two  streams  are  constant  the  year  round,  but  are  too  low  in 
summer,  except  at  their  lower  ends,  to  be  relied  upon  to  run 
machinery.  There  are  some  grist-mills  on  them  and  their 
tributaries,  however,  which  seem  to  run  with  some  regular- 
ity, except  in  very  dry  weather. 

GEOLOGY. 

As  to  the  geology  of  Buchanan,  the  rocks,  as  they  now 
show  on  the  surface,  indicate  the  Sub-Carboniferous  as  the 
true  period  ;  yet  it  is  singular,  that  at  the  bottom  of  the 
series  here  there  should  be  a  vein  of  coal  10  feet  thick. 
Not  more  singular  than  that  Russell  County,  near  by,  should 
show  one  0  feet  4  inches  thick  at  the  base  of  the  series 
there.  There  are  so  few  disturbances  or  faults  worthy  of 
notice  in  the  rock  formation  in  this  county,  that  a  description 
of  the  series  of  rocks,  veins,  etc.,  at  one  point  may  be  taken 
as  a  fair  reading  of  nearly  the  whole.  There  are  variations 
in  the  strata,  it  is  true,  but  for  Sub-Carboniferous  measures 
they  run  with  surprising  regularity  for  miles.  The  fossil 
remains  of  plants  and  trees  are  quite  common  here  and 
there,  such  as  ferns,  rushes,  grasses,  lepidodendra,  sigil- 
larise,  etc.  The  dip  of  the  rocks,  except  in  the  extreme 
northwestern  part  of  the  county,  is  but  gently  inclined  fi'om 
the  horizontal.  The  rocks  are  almost  wholly  sandstone, 
shales,  and  slates,  interstratified  with  veins  of  coal  and  occa- 
sional thin  bands  of  iron  ore,  either  as  sulphuret  or  carbon- 
ate. Now  and  then  you  meet  with  limestone,  as  on  the 
divide  between  the  head-waters  of  Big  Prater  Creek  and  the 


BUCHANAN  CO. — COAL.  249 

waters  of  Eussell's  Fork,  and  at  Coimtz's  on  Lick  Creek. 
This  limestone  sometimes  sliows  lead  ore,  but  it  is  doubtful 
■whether  that  will  ever  be  found  in  sufficient  quantities  to 
justify  working. 

IKON   GEES. 

The  iron  ores  of  Buchanan  County,  as  they  appear  on  the 
surface,  are  mainly  broivn  ores,  very  often  alluded  to  as  hy- 
drated  peroxides.  They  result  from  the  decomposition  of 
carbonates  and  sulphurets,  and  may  be  found  near  the  crests 
of  nearly  all  the  ridges  in  the  county.  Toward  the  western 
side  of  the  county  there  seems  to  be  the  greatest  quantity. 

It  does  not  appear  from  the  amount  showing  on  the  sur- 
face that  the  undecomposed  veins  are  very  thick ;  perhaps  in 
some  instances  eighteen  inches  or  two  feet ;  and  so  few  are 
the  developments  that  it  is  now  impossible  to  tell  their  true 
character.  There  are  no  other  ores  of  iron  observable  in  the 
county,  except  here  and  there  a  piece  of  undecomposed  sul- 
phuret. 

No  manganese  worthy  of  notice  has  been  shown  by  actual 
development ;  but  this  is  not  saying  there  are  no  manganese 
ores  in  the  county. 

COAL. 

Besides  timber,  coal  is  the  principal  feature  in  the  county. 
The  heavier  workable  measures  seefii  to  lie  near  the  tops  of 
the  hills,  except  on  Connoway  Creek,  near  the  northern  line 
of  the  county,  where  the  accompanying  section  was  taken. 
There  the  same  veins,  that  show  at  somewhat  higlior  levels 
farther  soutli,  iire  nearer  the  creek.  Tlio  coal  is  almost  with- 
out exception  flaming  bituminous  in  all  the  veins.  Toward 
the  western  boundary  of  the  county  it  assumes  the  appear- 
ance of  that  variety  which  is  used  for  smelting  iron  ores 
raw.     This  series  of  veins  lying  nearly  iflat  througliout  the 


250 


BUCHAN^VN  CO. — COAL. 


o  o  < 

m  <  m 


Vertical  Section-ConwayGveek 


1900 


1700 
680 


1400 
1375 

1300 
1230 
1175 
1100 


GOO 
860 
800 

730 

700 


500 


Strata 


Kinds   &   Thickness  of 
Rock  &   Coal 


Top  of  Ridgo 

Sandstone 

Slate 
Coal  9  in. 


Slates  &"  Sandstones 


Sandstone 
Coal  4  Ft. 
Slate(Blue) 


Slates  &  Sandstones 


Slate 

Coal  31  in. 
Slate 

Slate  &  Sandstones 
Coal  i  Ft. 3  in. 

Ooal  f)  in. 

Coal3Ft.  lOin. 

Slate  &  Sandstone 


B 

C 
D 


Slate 

Coal  22,'^  in.  E 

Slate  Water  Level 

-  Sandstone r : ^ji — — - 

Louisa  Kiver 


■  HBB 


m 
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f^ 


F 


Coal  10  Ft. 

Shales  &  Sandstone 
t'onglomerate 
Thin  Coal 

Sandstones' 

Conglomerate 

Sandstones  &  Shales 
Mountain  Limestone 


From  the  mountain  limestone 

1100  feet    approximately 
down  to  the  Coal  Oil  Rock 


THE  MOSS  ENGRAVING  C0.N-Y« 


Buchanan  County. 


greater  part  of  the  county, 
and  tlie  rock  material  being 
uniform  in  cliaracter,  tlie 
county  is  marked  by  a  to- 
pography which  is  also  uni- 
form in  its  character.  The 
elements  in  the  course  of 
time  have  imprinted  the 
same  features  over  the  whole 
area,  leaving  deep  hollows 
at  intervals  rarely  ever  ex- 
ceeding two  miles,  in  every 
one  of  which  may  be  found 
more  or  less  water,  whole- 
some and  pure.  These  hol- 
lows have  sufficiently  slop- 
ing sides  to  permit  of  the 
adoption  of  lines  of  roadway 
by  side  cutting  of  any  grade 
desirable,  or  the  location  of 
shutes.  The  toi3S  of  the  hills 
generally  range  from  800  to 
1,000  feet  above  the  main 
longitudinal  section  of  the 
streams.  Eeferring  to  the 
cross  section,  the  coal  veins 
there  lettered  will  yield  ap- 
proximately as  follows : 

Coal  vein  A,  like  the  others, 
a  bituminous 
coking  coal, 
with  such  a 
small  percent- 


BUCHANAN  CO.— SALT.  251 

age  of  sulphur  as  not  to  be  noticed.    Asli  not 
over  4  per  cent,  and  fixed  carbon  over  70  per 
cent.;  will  yield  per  acre  6,780   tons  of  2,240 
pounds  per  ton. 
Coal  vein  B,  4,3S0  tons  per  acre. 

"        C,  about  7,200  tons  per  acre. 
D,     "      6,500     " 
Aggregating  nearly  25,000  tons  per  acre. 
Veins  E  and  F  are  hardly  necessary  to  calculate,  one  being 
thin,  and  the  other,  though  thick,  is  below  water  level. 

In  the  southern  part  of  the  county  the  veins  measuring  4 
feet  thick  are  near  the  crests  of  the  ridges.  On  Beech 
Branch,  a  small  tributary  of  Lick  Creek,  and  near  Noah 
Countz's,  at  an  elevation  of  1,765  feet  above  sea  level,  one 
of  the  veins  has  the  following  dimensions,  accom23anying 
rocks,  etc.  :  58  inches  thick,  with  4  inches  of  slate  parting 
near  the  middle  ;  floor  of  slate ;  roof  of  slate  5  feet  thick ; 
then  above  this  4  inches  of  slaty  coal ;  then  8  inches  of  coal ; 
then  18  inches  of  slate  ;  then  13  inches  of  sandy  iron  ore 
overlaid  with  sandstone. 

Such  readings  could  be  repeated  with  but  slight  variations 
in  many  parts  of  the  county.  The  dip  is  usually  gentle  in 
any  direction. 

SALT. 

The  salt-bearing  series  may  be  regarded  as  one  of  tho  valu- 
able features,  and  the  brine  is  likely  to  be  reached  in  less 
than  500  feet  below  tho  level  of  Louisa  or  llussell's  Fork, 
wherever  any  basin  may  be  found  in  which  tho  rocks  dip 
toward  a  common  center.  Such  a  basin  exists  at  Sand  Lick, 
near  tho  junction  of  Lick  Creek  with  liiassoll's  Fork  of  Sandy 
Hiver.  In  fact  mucli  salt  has  been  made  there  by  boiling 
the  water  caught  at  one  of  the  brine  seeps  in  sunken  barrels 
and  hogsheads. 


252  BUCHANAN  CO. — WATER  POWER. 


BUILDING    STONES. 


The  building  stones  of  Buclianan  are  in  endless  quantity, 
confined  to  a  variety  of  sandstone  found  all  over  the  county 
in  several  ledges.  It  is  a  well-known  fact  among  tlie  citizens 
of  the  county,  that  they  can  open  a  quarry  a  few  hundred 
yards  from  their  homes  in  almost  any  of  the  hills,  in  which 
they  can  obtain  stones  of  great  size,  so  soft  when  first  ex- 
posed as  to  admit  of  being  hewn  into  any  desirable  shape, 
even  with  a  common  axe. 

TIMBER. 

Buchanan  has  all  the  different  varieties  of  timber  known 
to  this  latitude,  not  only  in  great  quantity,  but  the  growth  is 
usually  of  the  best  character.  The  girth  of  poplar  trees 
frequently  measures  from  13  to  18  feet ;  ash  trees,  7  feet, 
and  all  others  proportionately  large.  To  say  that  the  trunks 
of  the  poplars  are  frequently  60  feet  without  a  limb  would 
be  very  likely  under  the  mark  than  above  it.  This  tree 
seems  to  be  in  its  most  congenial  latitude  here,  and  not  only 
attains  a  fine  size,  but  is  more  plentiful  than  any  other  except 
the  beech  and  white  oak.  There  is  a  great  deal  of  walnut, 
linn,  buckeye,  and  sugar  tree ;  and  the  growth  is  so  uniform 
over  the  county  that  one  locality 'can  scarcely  claim  any 
superiority  over  another. 

Along  and  near  to  the  larger  water-courses  a  good  deal  of 
poplar  timber  has  been  cut  and  rafted  down  to  the  Ohio 
Eiver ;  but,  as  compared  to  the  whole,  it  is  really  a  small  per- 
centage. There  are  yet  remaining  immense  areas  of  virgin 
forest  where  nothing  has  been  cut.  In  many  places  the  wal- 
nut trees  are  very  thick. 

WATER  POWER. 

As  has  been  remarked  before,  the  streams  are  not  constant 
through  the  summer  ;    consequently  reliable  water  powers 


BUCHAKAN  CO, — SCENERY.  253 

are  scarce.  Eussell's  Fork  near  "  The  Breaks  "  would  give  a 
good  and  constant  power,  but  nowhere  else  in  the  county 
could  a  large  volume  of  water  be  had  in  dry  Aveather.  The 
streams,  though  they  get  very  low,  seem  never  to  go  dry ; 
and  in  the  deep  pools  you  find  along  their  courses  there  are 
yet  quantities  of  fine  fish — black  bass,  redeye,  pike,  etc. 

AGRICULTURE. 

Though  the  county  is  essentially  a  mountain  plateau,  cut 
and  seamed  in  every  direction  by  the  caiions  in  which  flow 
the  streams,  the  steep  land  is  usually  fertile,  very  much  so 
indeed  for  sandy  land.  It  produces  corn  and  oats  well. 
Wheat  and  rye  have  a  fair  average  yield,  and  sweet  potatoes 
seem  to  be  in  their  native  clime. 

There  are  good-sized  herds  of  cattle  turned  out  annually 
to  range  in  the  woods,  where  they  do  well.  The  whole  area 
of  the  county  would  suit  admirably  for  sheep-growing  or  for 
the  Angora  goat. 

'  SCENERY. 

Occasionally  the  scenery  is  very  fine.  A  sketch  of  what 
is  familiarly  known  as  "  The  Towers,"  on  Russell's  Fork  of 
Sandy  River,  has  been  attempted ;  but  no  one  could  give 
even  a  fair  idea  on  paper  of  the  beautiful  scene  presented  by 
these  high  cliffs  and  rocks  as  they  rear  their  lofty  crests 
nearly  GOO  feet  above  the  stream  below.  It  is  a  wild  place, 
still  inhabited  by  an  occasional  wolf,  jierhaps  the  last  of  his 
race  in  that  quarter. 

The  fruits  of  Buchanan  are  generally  more  certain  annu- 
ally tlian  ill  some  of  her  sister  counties.  The  peach  tree 
thrives  well,  and  is  a  crop  of  great  importance  in  the  county. 
Ginseng,  though  one  of  the  lierbs,  has  been  in  tlie  ])ast  a 
source  of  considerable  revenue  to  the  j;)eople  of  the  county. 


254  BUCHANAN  CO. — PUBLIC   SCHOOLS. 

It  is  however  disappearing  under  the  constant  drain  whicli 
has  been  stimulated  by  the  high  price  paid  for  it. 

Grapes  do  very  well  in  Buchanan  ;  hees  are  quite  a  success, 
andjish  are  there  in  good  quantity  and  of  choice  varieties. 

TEADE   IN  CATTLE  AND  SHEEP. 

Cattle 1,200  head  of  stock  cattle  annually. 

Sheep 2,500     " 

LINES    OF    TBANSPORTATION. 

The  proposed  line  of  the  Virginia,  Kentucky  and  Ohio 
Eailroad,  which  is  to  connect  with  the  Big  Sandy  Railroad, 
passes  down  Louisa  Fork,  and  will  thus  pass  nearly  through 
the  center  of  the  county  from  south  to  north.  A  branch  of 
the  Richmond  and  Southwestern  Railway  may  pass  through 
the  county  at  some  day. 

TOWNS  AND  VILLAGES. 

There  are  only  few  trading  posts  of  note  in  the  county 
except  Grundy,  the  county  site — Needmore,  Shacks's  Mills, 
Bock  Lick,  Knox  Creek,  Sand  Lick,  Grassy  Creek,  Dismal, 
and  a  few  other  places  ;  but  there  are  no  towns  in  the 
county. 

Grundy,  the  county  site,  has,  besides  the  court-house, 
hotels,  stores,  and  a  weekly  newspaper,  which  takes  great 
interest  in  the  advancement  of  the  material  welfare  of  the 
county. 

PUBLIC   SCHOOLS. 

The  public  schools  are  being  more  carefully  looked  after 
by  the  authorities,  and  will,  with  a  more  dense  population  to 
sustain  them,  become  an  important  factor  in  the  welfare  of 
the  county. 


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FLOYD  cor^TT.  255 

FLOYD  COUNTY. 

This  county,  tliougli  comjiaratively  new,  is  not  far,  if  at  all, 
behind  its  sisters  in  the  importance  of  its  resources.  Any 
railway  located  with  due  regard  to  the  position  of  its  mineral 
veins  and  deposits  must  cause  Floyd  County  to  assume  a 
position  that  would  not  only  give  it  a  high  rank  among  the 
best  counties  of  the  State,  but  the  character  of  the  resources 
■which  would  be  thus  developed  would  secure  for  Floyd 
a  fame  as  deserving  as  it  would  be  universal. 

Like  many  other  counties  of  this  section,  volumes  could  be 
written  upon  any  of  them  before  a  satisfactory  description 
■would  be  reached ;  and  it  is  a  matter  of  deep  regret  that  no 
more  space  can  now  be  sj)ared  in  the  description  of  Floyd 
than  this  book  is  able  to  devote  to  it.  Sufficient,  it  may  be 
hojDed,  though,  to  show  such  23rominent  features  of  interest 
as  will  indicate  its  fine  character. 

This  county  lies  between  Montgomery  and  Pulaski  on  the 
north,  and  the  counties  of  Patrick  and  Franklin  on  the  south 
and  southeast,  almost  touching  Koanoke  County  on  the  east, 
and  bounded  by  the  rich  mineral  county  of  Carroll  on  the 
west. 

Its  northern  line  is  marked  in  great  part  by  a  short  section 
of  Little  Piiver,  and  by  Laurel  Kidge  and  Bent  Mountain. 
Its  entire  southern  and  eastern  boundary  is  supposed  to  fol- 
low the  crest  of  the  southern  bifurcation  of  tlie  Blue  Ridge, 
and  its  western  limit  has  no  very  marked  feature  near  it  ex- 
cept "  The  Buffalo,"  a  bold  and  beautiful  peak  rising  many 
feet  higher  than  the  neighl)oring  chains  of  mountains. 

This  county  is  watered  by  the  head-waters  of  Roanoke 
River,  by  Little  River,  and  some  of  the  streams  wliich  flow 
west  into  Big  Reed  Island  Creek. 

Tite  Geolofjy  of  Floyd  County  may  be  described  as  lying  be- 
tween the  Lower  Laurentian  Rocks,  on  the  south,  and  the 


256 


FLOYD  COUNTY. 


Pilo't  WomitaiTi 
-  laurel  Rids& 


^  JacksomilU 


^  The  Buffalo 


Toncray  Mines 


•^   '  .siUJ^  "^.^u  'vJlA     >ai 


.uit.ais^.';;:^!.-^''^ 


AaBESTOS 


3 

lit 


FLOYD   COUNTY.  257 

Middle  and  Upper  Hurouian  on  tlie  north,  as  may  be  more 
clearly  comprehended  by  referring  to  the  cross  section  on  the 
opposite  page,  fifteen  miles  in  length. 

The  whole  series  of  strata  has  a  trend  between  northeast 
and  east-northeast. 

Beginning  in  the  Blue  Eidge,  on  the  south,  there  is  a 
measure  of  pure  asbestos  eight  inches  or  more  in  thickness,  as 
at  Barton's,  between  walls  of  steatite,  which  extend  for  many 
miles  through  the  country.  Next,  northward,  are  valuable 
ledges  of  steatite;  and  about  two  miles  farther  north  is  the 
stratification  which  holds  the  valuable  bedded  veins  of  copper 
ore  and  magnetite,  showing  at  the  Toncray  Mine  (near  the  old 
Shelor  Furnace),  at  the  Bear  Beds,  at  Weddell's,  and  other 
places. 

This  valuable  copper  vein,  containing  much  arsenic  also,  of 
which  it  would  l)e  approj^riate  to  speak  just  here,  shows 
outcroppings  at  intervals  for  about  fourteen  miles  in  the 
county  of  Floyd.  At  the  Toncray  Mine  it  has  been  better 
developed  than  at  any  other  point ;  and,  judging  from  the 
more  abundant  show  of  rich  gossan  on  the  surface,  it  may  be 
regarded  as  one  of  the  best  localities  likely  to  be  found  on 
the  whole  length. 

Dr.  Kichard  O.  Cuery,  A.M.,  M.D.,  examined  Toncray 
Mine  just  at  the  time  when  all  tlie  excavations  Avere  freshly 
made.  In  liis  very  clear  general  descrijition,  he  says  he 
found  the  gossan  (or  Iron  Cap)  to  be  30  feet  deej)  from  the 
surface,  before  the  undecomposed  sulpliurets  set  in.  This 
iron  ore,  says  the  Doctor,  was  used  very  extensively,  and 
with  groat  satisfaction,  by  tlie  Shelor  Furnace.  No  doubt 
the  high  character  attributed  to  the  metal  then  made  by  that 
furnace  was  owing  to  the  use  of  the  pure  hematites  and 
magnetites  of  this  vein. 

Dr.  Curry,  continuing  his  account,  says:  "There  are  two 
tunnels  driven  in  ujjon  the  vein,  situated  upon  the  declivity 
17 


258  FLOYD   COUNTY. 

of  the  ridge.  Tlie  lower  tunnel  is  driven  in  from  the  north 
side,  south  40^  east,  so  as  to  cross  the  lead,  which  has  a 
course  north  54°  east.  This  tunnel  reaches  245  feet,  through 
a  hard  gneiss  rock  with  quartz  veins.  Through  the  crevices 
of  the  quartz  there  are  found  small  clusters  of  native  copper. 
The  main  object  had  in  view  in  excavating  this  tunnel  was  to 
obtain  a  drift  for  the  upper  gallery,  expecting  too  that  it 
would  intersect  the  vein  at  a  lower  dejDtli. 

"  The  upper  tunnel  is  situated  about  70  feet  above  the 
lower,  and  has  been  driven  in  through  gossan  and  vein  rock 
to  a  depth  of  300  feet.  When  this  upper  tunnel  was  first 
opened,  it  was  injudiciously  driven  in  too  far  to  the  left  of 
the  vein ;  but  in  carrying  in  a  cross-cut  to  the  right,  about  40 
feet  from  the  entrance,  the  vein  was  reached  at  a  distance  of 
only  20  feet.  It  was  then  followed  for  250  feet  through  a 
soft  talco-mica  slate,  several  cross-cuts  being  run  off  to  the 
right  and  left,  so  as  to  test  the  width  of  the  vein.  Through- 
out this  whole  length  the  vein  is  traced  without  any  inter- 
mission— increasing  in  richness  and  width  as  the  depth  de- 
scends. The  cross-cuts  and  the  tunnels,  driven  in  parallel  to 
the  main  drift,  exjjose  the  vein  in  a  most  beautiful  manner — 
the  intervening  partitions,  which  have  never  yet  been  stoped 
out,  consisting  of  solid  banks  of  ore,  in  all  its  varieties,  but 
mostly  the  oxides  and  black  sulphuret.  As  only  32  tons  of 
ore  have  been  shipped  from  this  mine  since  it  was  first 
opened,  and  as  the  ores  exist  in  such  rich  abundance  all 
along  its  walls  and  roofs,  it  may  be  readily  inferred  that  the 
company  had  but  one  object  in  view — to  open  their  mine  to 
its  fullest  extent  before  raising  their  ores.  Consequently, 
they  have  been  content  to  drive  a  tunnel  of  6  feet  width 
through  a  30-foot  vein,  only  bringing  out  such  ore  as  they 
had  necessarily  to  excavate  in  driving  forward  the  tunnel. 
Thus  they  had  exposed  sometimes  the  center  of  the  vein ; 
then  by  a  cross-cut  they  have  run  to  its  northern  side ;  then, 


FLOYD   COUNTY.  259 

by  another,  to  tlie  southern ;  and  from  each  of  these  branches 
carrying  along  tunnels  parallel  with  the  main  trunk.  They 
have  thus  exposed  this  vein  for  300  feet,  proving  it  to  be  one 
of  great  depth,  with  a  width  of  30  feet,  the  dip  being  to  the 
Southeast,  at  an  angle  of  45  degrees.  The  average  per  cent. 
of  the  ores  raised  is  found  to  be  16.  As  soon  as  the  lower 
tunnel  is  completed,  and  has  effectually  drained  the  upper, 
there  will  be  no  limit  to  the  ores  which  may  be  excavated 
from  its  tunnels  and  chambers.  In  many  of  the  mines  these 
chambers  are  already  formed  by  the  continual  raising  of 
ores  ;  here,  however,  the  intervening  partitions  between  the 
tunnels  yet  remain,  and  will  afford,  by  stoping,  an  incalcula- 
ble supply  of  rich  ore." 

At  the  Bear  Beds,  on  this  same  lead,  the  magnetite  occupies 
a  position  in  the  northern  wall  of  the  vein  about  four  feet  in 
width.  It  may  not  extend  lower  than  the  depth  of  tlie  de- 
composed ores.  Below  that  it  may  confidently  be  expected 
that  iron  and  copper  sulphurets  form  the  whole  of  the  vein. 

The  dip  of  45 '  ascribed  to  this  vein  at  the  Tancray  Mine  is, 
in  all  probability,  local,  and  confined  to  a  short  distance  be- 
low the  surface.  The  general  dip  of  all  the  rocks  of  that 
vicinity  is  much  steeper. 

This  vein  is  also  exposed  at  some  old  openings  at  the  Hylton 
Mine,  Nowlin's,  Howell's,  and  at  other  places,  presenting  the 
same  general  characteristics,  and  yielding  a  very  large  ton- 
nage of  iron  oxides,  or  gossan,  on  the  surface. 

It  has  been  contended  by  some  authorities  that  this  iron 
ore  (the  gossan)  contains  too  much  copper  to  make  a  good 
welding  metal.  This  is  no  argument  against  its  availability 
as  a  mixing  ore,  in  a  section  containing  so  many  varieties, 
which,  with  proper  railway  facilities,  can  be  l)rought  together 
in  a  less  number  of  miles  than  can  be  done  in  any  other  part 
of  the  country. 

Next,  north  of  the  great  copper  vein,  of  value  is  a  measure 


260  FLOYD   COUNTY. 

of  soapstone.  From  tliis  extensive  band  many  citizens  of  the 
neigliboring  country  obtain  supplies  of  building  stone,  wbich 
they  can  saw  into  shape,  not  only  to  be  used  as  backing  for 
fireplaces,  but  much  other  masonry  is  built  of  it  besides, 
owing  io  the  ease  with  which  it  can  be  shaped  into  the  size^ 
desired. 

This  band  seems  to  be  but  a  repetition  of  another  lying 
only  a  mile  or  so  north  of  it,  and  might  be  taken  for  a  repeti- 
tion of  the  same  stratum,  caused  by  a  fold.  But,  if  this  view 
of  the  case  be  correct,  there  ought  also  to  be  another  exhibit 
of  the  copper  vein.  There  is  nothing,  however,  to  suggest 
the  probability  of  such  a  version,  but  a  line  of  magnetic  ores 
on  the  surface,  showing  at  such  places  as  at  Whitelow's, 
Hogan's,  about  one  and  a  half  miles  south  of  Jacksonville. 

This  line  of  magnetic  ores,  running  northeast  and  south- 
west, has  the  reputation  of  showing  in  valuable  quantities  to- 
ward the  eastern  end  of  the  county.  Should  the  ore  be 
found  in  sufficient  quantities  to  be  available,  there  is  no  evi- 
dence as  yet  to  suggest  the  idea  that  they  contain  that  objec- 
tionable constituent,  titanic  acid. 

The  manganese  ore,  outcropjjing  here  and  there,  in  Floyd 
County,  is  not  sufficiently  developed  yet  to  show  its  probable 
quantity  and  quality. 

The  next  great  mineral-bearing  lead,  encountered  going 
north,  is  the  galena-bearing  quartz  and  the  accompanying 
hydro-mica  slates,  etc.,  holding  pyrites  and  decomposed  ores 
in  the  shape  of  gossan.  This  band  is  over  200  feet  wide,  and 
shows  quite  conspicuously  at  Luster  McAlexander's,  on  Little 
Kiver.  It  is  no  doubt  the  northeastern  prolongation  of  the 
Peach  Bottom  copper  vein,  which  shows  at  several  points 
farther  southwest  in  Carroll,  Grayson,  Alleghany,  and  Ashe 
Counties.  In  the  county  of  Floyd  this  lead  can  be  traced  for 
many  miles.  From  its  outcroppings,  west  of  Abraham  Bur- 
net's, near  Williams,  through,  northeastwardly,  across  Little 


FLOYD    CO. — GOLD.  261 

River  and  into  the  Beaverdam  section,  it  can  be  found ;  but 
what  commercial  value  can  now  be  jDroperly  attached  to  it,  it 
would  be  difficult  to  say. 

At  several  points  the  quantity  of  galenite  found  in  the 
quartz  suggests  the  flattering  hope  of  a  sufficient  percentage 
of  silver  to  pay ;  but  as  yet  it  would  only  mislead  public 
opinion  to  declare  such  a  result  attainable  from  present  de- 
velopments. Still,  it  is  one  of  those  vast  depositories  of 
mineral  matter,  which  may  at  any  moment  reveal  a  great 
mass  of  highly  valuable  ore.  It  had  more  the  appearance,  a 
few  months  ago,  of  being  valuable  than  the  line  of  rocks  from 
which  the  Brush  Creek  gold  is  supposed  to  be  derived ;  and 
it  would  not  be  astonishing  to  hear  of  its  being  made  the 
basis  of  very  successful  mining  operations  on  an  extensive 
scale.  At  a  point  near  Winter's,  on  Terry's  Creek,  there  ara 
interesting  masses  of  gneiss  interstratified  with  talcose  slate 
and  some  chlorite,  containing  pyrites  of  copper  and  iron  and 
some  galenite,  disseminated  in  the  rock. 

In  the  immediate  vicinity,  about  1,000  feet  north  of  the  last- 
named  vein,  below  McAlexander's,  on  Little  Biver,  there  are 
plumbaginous  and  talcose  slates.  In  these  slates,  in  their 
eastern  continuation  toward  the  Locust  Grove  section,  it  may 
be  that  the  plumhago  is  found  which  is,  now  and  then,  re- 
ported as  occurring — near  King's,  on  Bent  Mountain  Turn- 
pike, and  on  MiUs's  lands,  four  miles  from  Copper  Hill,  for 
instance. 

Passing  thence  northward,  across  great  quartz  veins,  hydro- 
mica  slates,  etc.,  there  is  next  encountered  a  series  of  kindred 
rocks  containing  the  gohl  now  being  souglit  after  on  tlio  oast 
side  of  Little  Biver,  on  Brush  Creek,  in  Montgomery  County. 

GOLD. 

On  the  Floyd  County  side  of  the  river  there  is  no  stream 
answering  in  position  to  that  of  Brush  Creek.     Consequently 


262  FLOYD   CO. — GOLD. 

the  same  formation,  tliougli  containing,  no  doubt,  tlie  same 
percentage  of  free  gold,  is  not  so  concentrated  as  to  be  notice- 
able in  tlie  same  manner  as  it  is  where  a  stream,  of  the  size 
of  Brush  Creek,  has  worn  away  so  much  of  the  rock  material, 
leaving  the  gold  in  the  sands  and  detritus  along  it. 

It  would  be  very  interesting  to  know  every  feature  of  this 
important  series  of  rocks  ;  but  it  is  plain  that  to  attempt  more 
than  call  attention  to  the  fact  of  the  existence  of  gold  in  con- 
siderable quantities  in  these  rocks,  would  be  to  enter  upon 
an  undertaking,  which,  to  be  properly  done,  would  consume 
every  page  of  the  book. 

It  seems,  however,  that  what  gold  there  is,  is,  generally, 
very  uniformly  distributed  through  the  great  mass ;  but  there 
is  no  reason  to  doubt  that  it  is  concentrated  here  and  there 
in  easily  defined  veins. 

These  Huronian  rocks  are  known  to  have  such  character- 
istics in  other  places.  Besides  the  gold,  there  is  galena,  and, 
now  and  then,  copper  pyrites  with  a  still  greater  proportion 
of  iron  pyrites. 

This  gold-bearing  series  is  then  bounded  on  the  north  by 
about  3,000  feet  of  felspathic  and  quartzose  rock  interstrati- 
fied  with  impure  steatite,  hydro-mica  slates,  and  sometimes 
talcose  and  chloritic  schists,  with  hornblende  almost  totally 
absent.  These  rocks  seldom  assume  the  proportions  of  true 
granite.  There  are  sometimes  protogine,  but  much  of  the 
rock  is  an  albite  and  orthoclose  petrosilex.  This,  then,  is  the 
last  series  of  the  cross  section  on  the  north,  in  the  county  of 
Floyd. 

In  the  northeastern  part  of  the  county,  nearly  in  the  con- 
tinuation, that  way,  of  the  gold-bearing  series,  on  the  North 
Fork  of  Roanoke  River,  there  is  a  vein  of  magnetic  pyrites 
near  the  house  of  Mr.  Light,  12  feet  thick,  course  north  45" 
east,  dip  45°  southeast. 

This  ore  contains  a  great  deal  of  copper  pyrites  dissemin- 


FLOYD  CO. — AGRICULTUEAL  FEATURES.  263 

ated  tlirougli  it,  the  iron  pyrites  being  distinctly  magnetic, 
and  having  the  appearance  of  containing  nickel. 

It  is  somewhat  sincrular  that  this  vein  shouki  lie  within 
twelve  miles  of  the  Atlantic,  Mississippi  and  Ohio  Eailroad 
so  long,  with  no  up-grade  intervening,  without  receiving  more 
notice  than  it  has.  Also,  at  Purgatory,  two  and  a  half  miles 
south  of  the  north  boundary  line.  Prof.  Fontaes'e's  analysis 
of  arsenical  pyrites,  found  in  a  5  to  7  foot  vein,  shows  18 
ounces  of  silver  to  the  ton. 

It  would  be  idle  to  deny  the  great  value  of  Floyd  as  a 
mineral  county.  In  nearly  every  part  of  it  the  surface  indi- 
cates the  presence  of  the  ores  described  above.  C.  M.  Stigel- 
MAN,  M.D.,  a  gentleman  of  fine  attainments  in  scientific  pur- 
suits, now  residing  at  Jacksonville,  enumerates  some  of  the 
minerals  and  their  localities  as  follows  :  Magnetic  iron  ore, 
at  Whitelow's,  Hogan's,  Bishop's,  Deskin's,  Link's,  and 
O'Connor's  ;  micaceous  iron  ore,  Runnet  Bag  Gap,  right  of 
Patrick  Road,  Blue  Ridge ;  specular  ore,  eastern  slope  of 
Blue  Ridge,  Shooting  Creek  ;  argentiferous  lead.  Little  River  ; 
arsenical  pyrites,  great  copper  vein ;  limestone,  north  of 
Court-House  on  Montgomery  Turnpike  ;  manganese,  at  White- 
low's  and  Columbus  Rick's,  Shooting  Creek  ;  asbestos,  in 
the  Blue  Ridge,  at  Signer's  and  other  places  ;  pickeringite, 
three  miles  north  of  Court-House. 

AGRICULTURAL  FEATURES. 

The  proportion  of  lands  in  this  county  available  for  tobacco 
culture  is,  perhaps,  greater  than  for  any  other  purpose.  In 
the  west  end,  on  the  waters  of  Bnrnot's  and  Greasy  Creeks, 
are  the  largest  areas  of  grass  lands  ;  and  upon  these  very 
considerable  herds  of  cattle  are  grazed  and  wintered  au- 
nually. 

Throughout   the    county   good   farming    lauds   are  found, 


2G4  FLOYD   CO. — SHIPMENTS   OVER   HOME   CONSUMPTION. 

thougL.  in  many  places  very  steep.  Occasionally  a  band  of 
talco-mica  slates  and  schists,  impregnated  to  a  certain  ex- 
tent with  manganese,  will  afford  poor  land  where  they  form 
the  subsoil ;  but  such  areas  constitute  but  a  small  proportion 
of  the  whole.  Little  Eiver  and  its  tributaries  have  many 
fine  farming  tracts.  On  Burk's  Fork,  though  the  land  is  gen- 
erally steep,  it  yields  a  safe  return  to  the  farmers.  In  fact, 
much  of  it  is  really  fine  land,  susceptible  of  a  high  state  of 
cultivation.  The  rock  here  is  frequently  diorite,  which,  de- 
composing, has  left  a  strong  and  permanent  subsoil  composed 
of  deep  red  clay. 

Throughout  the  Blue  Eidge  the  decomposition  of  much 
gneissoid-rock  material  has  left  a  soil  which,  though  not 
always  of  the  first  quality,  is  susceptible  of  improvement  at 
small  outlay.  In  the  eastern  end  of  the  county,  richer  and 
poorer  lands  alternate  with  each  other,  as  the  substratum  is 
more  or  less  felspathic.  Much  of  it,  judged  by  the  growth 
on  it,  is  exceedingly  fertile.  Down  in  the  deep  gorges  made 
by  the  North  Fork  of  Roanoke  Eiver  the  lauds  are  seldom 
available  for  cultivation. 


ANNUAL    SHIPMENTS   OVER  AND  ABOVE   HOME   CONSUMPTION   OF 

SEVERAL   PRODUCTS. 

Tobacco 185,000  pounds,  mostly  good  wrap- 
pers, bringing  $50  or  $60  per  hundred  pounds. 

Wheat 11,000  bushels. 

Corn 800 

Cattle 1,050  head  @  $20  per  head. 

"     500     "      " '     8    " 

Fine  cattle 100     "      "     25    "       " 

Sheep 1,000     "      "       2    "       " 


# 


FLOYD   CO. — FISH   CULTUEE.  265 

TIMBER. 

Many  sections  of  tlie  county  are  still  covered  witli  a  fine 
virgin  forest.  Tlie  Bnflfalo  Eiclge  and  Laurel  Creek  County  is 
one  unbroken  forest  for  miles  in  extent.  The  spurs  of  tlie  Blue 
Eidge,  while  rich  enough  to  be  farmed  in  many  places  to  the 
top,  are  still  heavily  timbered  with  fine  bodies  of  chestnut, 
chestnut-oak,  white  oak,  etc.  These  trees  constitute  the  main 
body  of  the  timber  in  the  more  mountainous  portions.  There 
are  valuable  bodies  of  timbered  lands,  now  and  then  showing 
a  large  quantity  of  white  pine.  This  is  mainly  usedfin  making 
shingles.  Furnaces  for  making  iron  would  not  be  at  a  loss, 
anywhere  in  the  county,  for  a  supply  of  cheap  charcoal  for 
some  years  to  come. 

WATER  POWER. 

Little  Eiver  affords  fine  water.  The  Southwest  Fork,  near 
Jacksonville,  is  utilized  to  run  one  of  the  finest  flouring  mills 
in  Yirginia.  In  every  part  of  the  county,  at  intervals  of  a  few 
miles,  there  are  water  powers,  either  in  use  as  saw-mills,  grist- 
mills, carding-macliiues,  or  only  await  the  time  when  the  in- 
crease of  population  in  the  county  will  require  their  use. 

FRUIT. 

Apples  form  one  of  the  native  fruits  of  the  county,  and 
rarely  miss  making  a  full  crop  annually. 

Peaches  are  not  much  cultivated.  Grapes,  plums,  and  pears 
do  well. 

FISH   CULTURE. 

The  streams  are  all  well  adapted  to  the  culture  of  the  finest 
varieties  of  game  fisli,  but  no  attempt  is  being  made  as  yet  to 
stock  any  of  them  with  improved  varieties,  except  sucli  work 
as  has  been  done  by  the  State  Fish  Commission,  Col.  Thomas 


266  FLOYD    CO. — PUBLIC   SCHOOLS. 

Lewis,  of  Salem,  and  Mr.  Sumter,  of  Montgomery,  in  stocking 
New  Kiver  and  the  Roanoke — some  distance  away  from  tlie 
county — the  streams  of  Floyd  being  mainly  tributaries  of  these 
rivers. 

BEE    CULTUEE. 

Many  of  the  citizens  pay  a  good  deal  of  attention  to  the  im- 
provement of  their  bees,  but  none  engage  in  producing  honey 
for  more  than  their  home  use.  In  this,  no  part  of  the  country 
could  be  better  adapted  than  Floyd.  The  number  of  flower- 
ing trees,  shrubs,  and  plants,  together  with  the  numerous  suck- 
ing places  in  the  damp  hollows,  give  the  bee  peculiar  advan- 
tages. It  seems  that  the  bee  is  not  only  able  to  obtain  from 
these  marshy  places  the  moisture  it  requires,  but,  in  seasons 
when  blossoms  are  scarce,  must  also  derive  some  of  the  ma- 
terial used  in  making  its  honey. 

TOWNS    AND    VILLAGES. 

Jacksonville,  where  the  court-house  is  situated,  is  the  prin- 
cipal place  in  the  county.  It  has  churches  of  various  de- 
nominations, hotels,  and  stores  in  which  every  variety  of 
goods  for  country  use  may  be  had ;  a  good  and  progressive 
newspaper.  The  Floyd  Reporter,  devoted  to  the  advancement 
of  the  best  interests  of  the  community.  It  has  good  schools ; 
and  has  such  shops  for  repairs  of  wagons,  tinware,  harness, 
etc.,  as  are  usual  in  such  towns. 

PUBLIC   SCHOOLS. 

To  judge  from  the  tenor  of  the  Report  of  the  Superintendent 
of  Public  Instruction,  the  public  schools  have  been  neglected 
in  the  last  few  years,  but  there  now  seems  to  be  a  decided  im- 
provement in  this  particular.  The  schools  will,  no  doubt,  be 
more  regularly  sustained  in  the  future. 


BEATRICE   FALLS,    FLOYD  CO.,  VA. 
(P.  367.) 


FLOYD    CO. — PUNCHEON  EUN  FALLS.  267 

SCENERY. 

This  county  presents  romantic  scenery,  of  a  kind  beautiful 
and  attractive,  just  in  proportion,  inversely,  as  it  is  unknown 
outside  of  its  immediate  neigliborhood.  The  falls  of  the  Roan- 
oke, which  are  designated  the  Beatrice  Falls,  after  the  daugh- 
ter of  Queen  Victoria — named  more  in  honor  of  the  fine  per- 
sonal character  of  those  illustrious  women  than  the  positions 
they  adorn — w^ould  compare  with  any  piece  of  mere  scenic 
beauty  in  the  purity  and  harmony  of  all  its  surroundings. 
This  fall  of  90  feet,  almost  perpendicular,  over  a  hard  quartzose 
and  felspathic  rock,  is  terminated  below  by  a  pool,  into  which 
empties  a  smaller  stream  with  an  almost  perpendicular  fall 
of  about  200  feet.     This  latter  is  called  the  Prince  Imperial. 

These  two  together  form  a  rare  picture,  equaled,  perhaps, 
by  some  of  the  scenery  in  California ;  and  only  excelled  in 
point  of  magnitude  by  a  few  places,  but  not  in  beauty  by  any. 

PUNCHEON    RUN    FALLS. 

Only  a  few  miles  from  the  above-named  falls,  nearly  on  the 
line  of  Floyd  and  Montgomery,  is  another  place  of  singular 
and  attractive  beauty.  For  about  350  feet,  the  water  of  a 
small  creek,  the  Puncheon  Eun,  dashes  over  the  face  of  a 
great  sheet  of  rock,  with  its  sides  fringed  and  hemmed  in  by 
every  species  of  mountain  vegetation.  In  the  early  summer 
it  has  a  setting  of  red  and  pink  and  white,  formed  of  the  lux- 
uriant blossoms  of  both  the  Rhododendrons,  Catawbiense, 
and  R.  Maximum,  the  laurel,  and  the  mountain  ivy. 

The  place  is  wild  and  rugged,  and,  when  better  means  of 
access  can  be  secured,  will  form  one  of  the  most  attractive 
features  of  this  country. 

All  these  falls  are  accessible  from  the  Atlantic,  Mississippi 
and  Ohio  Railroad,  or  the  mineral  springs  of  Montgomery 
County,  in  less  than  a  day's  drive. 


268  CAEROLL  COUNTY. 


CAEKOLL  COUNTY. 

This  county  scarcely  needs  any  other  introduction  than  an 
allusion  to  its  character  as  the  great  copper  county  of  South- 
western Virginia ;  a  character  which  has  been  established, 
really,  for  years ;  but,  until  recently,  through  the  publicity 
given  to  the  facts,  by  the  author  of  this  work,  in  various  lec- 
tures in  the  Eastern  cities,  and  by  the  publication  in  Hotch- 
kiss'  able  periodical  [The  Virginias),  these  vast  deposits  have 
remained  comparatively  unknown.  It  is  true  they  may  have 
been  alluded  to  both  by  Peofessor  Eogers  and  Peofessor 
Lesley;  but  at  that  early  day  there  were  so  few  developments 
as  to  afford  only  the  most  meager  data  upon  which  to  base 
statements. 

Carroll,  being  rich  in  other  resources — in  iron  ores,  tim- 
ber, fine  streams,  mineral  springs,  etc. — must  be  regarded, 
each  succeeding  year  that  her  unquestionably  important  re- 
sources are  developed,  as  one  of  the  most  valuable  of  the 
brilliant  gems  that  go  to  make  up  the  remarkable  series  of 
mineral  counties  known  as  Southwestern  Virginia. 

In  fact,  so  great  is  the  body  of  sulphureted  ores  alone  in 
the  county,  that  they,  with  plentiful  means  of  transportation, 
must  form  the  basis  of  industries  on  a  large  scale,  the  extent 
of  which  it  would  be  difficult,  now,  even  to  ajiproximate. 
Thus,  when  the  great  West  shall  have  exhausted  the  virgin 
strength  of  its  soil,  and  becomes  a  much  larger  purchaser 
than  now  of  good  fertilizers,  these  heavily  .:julphureted  ores 
will  have  been  brought  into  easy  communication  with  other 
valuable  constituents — both  those  oi'  South  Carolina  and  of 
Carroll's  sister  counties — and  will  become,  in  the  time  of  the 
country's  greatest  demand,  one  of  the  heaviest  manufacturers 
of  cheap  and  efficient  fertilizers,  perhaps,  in  the  world.  It 
would  be  curious  and  interesting  to  show  how  such  industries 


C.VEROLL  CO. — HOW  BOUXDED.  269 

could  be  established ;  what  ingredients,  such  as  potash,  etc., 
could  be  brought  together,  and  how  they  could  be  made  into 
excellent  and  cheap  fertilizers ;  but  the  fact  that  the  lines  of 
transportation  are  still  wanting,  as  well  as  space,  admonishes 
us  to  leave  the  subject  for  future  consideration.  In  that  time, 
no  doubt,  some  cheap  means  will  have  been  found  by  which 
those  felspars  of  Grayson  and  Carroll,  holding  fourteen  per 
cent,  of  potash,  can  be  used  in  connection  with  the  sulphur  of 
the  abundant  Carroll  County  ores.  It  is  true,  this  is  some- 
what generalizing ;  but  it  will  be  only  the  uncandid  mind 
which  will  be  slow  to  admit  the  almost  certainty  of  the  above 
reflections,  not  to  speak  of  the  gigantic  operations  in  the  re- 
duction of  copper  even  now  seriously  contemplated  by  some 
of  the  most  experienced  and  capable  men  in  that  line  of  busi- 
ness in  the  country.  That  Carroll  County,  with  adequate 
means  of  transportation,  will  develop  mines  of  lasting  and 
permanent  value,  there  can  be  no  doubt ;  and  that  this  county 
will  form  one  of  the  most  considerable  factors  in  the  solution 
of  the  problem  of  the  State's  future  prosperity,  is  beyond  a 
question.  It  is  able,  by  means  of  its  vast  hidden  wealth,  to 
bring  lines  of  raihvay  through  the  county,  and  will  inevitably 
increase  the  tax-paying  power  of  its  own  and  surrounding 
communities  to  so  great  a  degree  as  to  render  it  a  fit  com- 
parison to  say,  that  that  cajiacity  will  have  improved  a  thou- 
sand fold. 


HOW    BOUNDED. 

Carroll  is  separated  from  Wytlie  and  Pulaski  on  the  north 
by  tlie  Iron  Mountain  range,  locally  termed  here  the  Popkir 
Camp  Mountains;  northc^ast  by  Floyd  County;  southeast 
and  soutliward  it  is  divided  from  tlie  county  of  Patrick  by 
the  main  Blue  Ridge  ;  and  touches  the  North  Carolina  lino. 
Westerly  it  is  bounded  by  Grayson  County. 


270 


CAEEOLL  COUUXy. 


f 


ex 

I 

§3 


LBTELS ahove  tfde  fn/cet 


U   w 


+■  ■(• 


I 


^^ 


o    «  s 


>  o  « 


•s^ 


fc.'S' 


L:NE  OF  THE 


ii  Montgon 


/ 


loN" 


M 


on  or  Fqplar  Camp  TStn. 


North  TTi  or  Coppet"  Lode 


Hillsville 
Peach  Bottom  Copper  Tocie 


aJ. 


Cl  P.J'-"' 


iV^af  jV^  Copper  LcSo 


Sj 


Southern  Copper  tacie 


Mk 


Blue  Sidge 


CAEROLL  CO. — GEOLOGICAL.  271 

HOW     WATERED. 

Carroll  is  watered  by  New  River  and  some  of  its  considera- 
ble tributaries,  Big  and  Little  Reed  Island  Creeks  and  their 
liead-waters,  Poplar  Camp  Creek,  Crooked  Creek,  Chestnut 
Creek,  and  some  minor  streams.  All  of  these  being  bold  and 
regular  in  their  flow  throughout  the  year,  give  to  the  county 
a  name  for  being  well  watered. 


GEOLOGICAL. 

The  geological  features  of  the  county  are  nearly  identical 
with  those  of  Floyd  and  Grayson,  except  that  Grayson  has 
such  an  immense  quantity  of  granite,  which  neither  Carroll 
nor  Floyd  seem  to  have.  The  geology  may,  then,  be  said  to 
be  comprised  between  the  Laurentian  gneissoid  series,  near 
the  heart  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  and  the  Huronian,  inclusive. 
The  dip  of  the  rocks  has  that  general  appearance  of  being 
monoclinal  southwardly,  or  rather  southeastwardly,  common 
to  most  of  the  rocks  of  this  region  ;  but  in  places  there  were 
once  great  folds  or  anticlinals,  the  crests  of  which  have  been 
denuded  and  swept  away  in  the  lapse  of  time  since  they  were 
so  folded,  leaving  both  sides  of  the  fold  with  the  same  general 
average  inclination. 

Beginning  in  the  Blue  Ridge,  we  have  generally  a  gneissoid 
formation  ;  but,  about  the  main  crest,  talco-mica,  hornblende, 
and  chlorite  slates  and  schists  and  soapstone  alternating  with 
each  other.  In  all  these  strata  there  are  occasional  heavy 
bands  of  quartz.  The  gneissoid  formation  prevails  until  you 
pass  the  general  location  of  tlie  Southern  Copper  Lode,  as 
represented  on  the  cross  section.  Then,  in  about  lialf  a  mile 
north  of  this  southern  lode,  you  cross  a  broad  band  of  liorn- 
blendic  slates,  schists,  etc.;  then  soapstone  ;  then  slate,  schists, 
and  quartz  veins  ;  then,  when  within  three  miles  of  Hillsville, 


272  CAEEOLL  CO. — GEOLOGIC.\L. 

on  the  south,  you  touch  upon  the  trappean  rocks  in  which  is 
situated  the  native  copper  lode  ;  then,  within  a  mile  of  Hills- 
ville,  alternations  of  hornblendic  with  mica  slates  and  schists  ; 
then  about  Hillsville,  the  continuation  of  the  strata  which 
hold  the  northeastern  extension  of  the  Peach  Bottom  Copper 
Lode,  here  mostly  gneissoid ;  then,  for  more  than  a  mile,  horn- 
blende ;  then,  for  three  miles,  going  northwardly  across  the 
great  Northern  Copper  Lode  and  its  branch  vein  the  Dalton, 
through  talco-mica  slates,  chlorite  slates,  and  sometimes 
slightly  hornblendic  slates  ;  then  across  several  miles  of  a 
repetition  of  hydro-mica  slates,  etc.,  to  the  foot  of  Poplar 
Camp  or  Iron  Mountain  ;  then  through  the  heavy  quartzose 
and  slightly  felspathic  bands  composing  the  mountain  on  the 
south  side,  ending  the  section  at  the  county  line  on  the  crest 
of  the  mountain. 

Following  the  plan  adopted  for  the  other  counties,  an  ai>- 
tempt  will  be  made  to  describe  the  iron  ores  first,  although 
the  importance  of  the  copper  ores,  comparatively,  would 
rather  suggest  the  propriety  of  their  being  treated  first.  The 
Iron  Ores  of  Carroll,  it  may  be  submitted,  cannot  be  regarded 
as  the  least  important  of  its  resources.  Not  only  do  they 
exist  in  very  great  quantity,  but  they  are  generally  pure,  ex- 
cept where  they  retain  a  little  too  much  copper.  It  will  be 
understood  that  the  greater  part  of  these  ores  are  derived 
from  the  decomposition  of  iron  and  copper  j)yrites  ;  even  the 
magnetites  and  semi-magnetites  may  be  thus  derived ;  hence 
it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  copper  will  be  found  in  the 
iron  ores. 

Of  the  Broicn  Ores  there  are  vast  beds  and  deposits  exist- 
ing as  gossan  along  the  outcrops  of  the  different  pyritous 
veins,  or  lodes,  of  copper  and  iron.  It  would  be  diflicult  to 
estimate  the  quantity  which  occurs  on  the  southern  or  Ore 
Knob  Toncray  Lode,  as  its  greater  distance  from  railway 
transportation  has   caused  it  to  be  less  explored  than  the 


CAKROLL   CO. — GEOLOGICAL.  273 

more  nortliern  veins.  A  description  of  the  location  of  tliis 
lode  just  here  would  rob  it  of  that  interest  which  would  at- 
tach to  it  in  its  character  of  a  copper  lode  ;  but  it  is  not 
deemed  to  have  that  character  for  copper  in  Carroll  County 
which  it  possesses  either  at  Ore  Knob  Mine  on  the  southwest, 
or  at  the  Toncray  Mine  in  Floyd  County  on  the  northeast. 
It  is,  so  far  as  known  in  Carroll  County,  of  more  value  in  its 
character  as  an  iron  vein.  This  may  be  applied  both  to  its 
massive  exhibits  of  gossan,  or  brown  and  red  oxide,  here  and 
there,  and  to  the  masses  of  undecomposed  sulphurets  existing 
below.  This  is  observable  where  this  lode  crosses  Snake 
Creek.  The  vein  here  exposed  had  not  been  so  fully  opened 
as  to  give  a  satisfactory  showing  of  its  true  character  when 
visited  by  De.  Curry  in  1859,  since  which  time  no  work 
of  consequence  has  been  done  in  the  way  of  development  on 
the  lode  ;  but  enough  has  been  done,  and  the  outcroppings 
are  sufficiently  abundant  throughout,  to  make  evident  the 
vast  quantity  of  both  gossan  and  sulphuret  it  is  capable  of 
yielding. 

It  is  nearly  twenty-seven  miles  long  in  Carroll,  with  a  vari- 
able thickness  between  twelve  and  twenty  feet  thick,  lying 
in  the  gneissoid  system,  just  north  of  the  Blue  Kidge,  dipping 
southwardly,  generally  at  high  angles.  It  has  the  interesting 
feature  of  uniting  with  the  Native  Copper  Lode  somewhere 
near  the  head  of  Laurel  Creek,  in  the  boundary  line  between 
Carroll  and  Floyd.  Of  this  fact,  however,  the  writer  is  not 
positively  aware,  as  it  was  out  of  his  power  to  follow  up  the 
Native  Lode  to  tlie  supposed  junction ;  and  it  is  a  matter 
of  regret,  also,  that  he  was  not  able  to  give  the  Southern 
Lode  as  thorough  an  inspection  in  Carroll  as  he  gave  it  in 
Floyd  and  in  Ashe,  or  that  lie  has  given  to  the  Great  Northern 
Lode,  the  Peach  Bottom,  and  tlic  Native  Lodes. 

The  next  great  bodies  of  Broivn  Iron  Ores  are  found  on 
the  Great  Northern  Lode  and  its  branch  veins  in  the  northern 
18 


274  CAEROLL  CO. — GEOLOGICAL. 

central  portion  of  the  county.  Tlie  vast  gossan  outcrops  of 
tliis  lode,  whicli  passes,  near  Cranberry  Plains,  from  south- 
west to  northeast  through  the  county,  have  been  mentioned 
by  De.  F.  a.  Genth  in  his  report  to  the  "Wistar  Copper 
Mining  Company  "  in  1876  ;  by  Dr.  Dickesox  in  his  report  to 
"  The  Dalton  Mining  Company  "  in  1857 ;  by  Dr.  Curry  in 
his  "  Visit  to  the  Virginia  Copper  Kegion  "  in  1859,  recently 
quoted  by  Hotchkiss's  "  Virginias, "  and  were  described  by 
the  author  in  several  lectures  delivered  before  meetings  of 
"  The  American  Institute  of  Mining  Engineers.  "  Beginning 
at  the  southwest  end,  bodies  of  this  gossan,  or  hydrated  per- 
oxide of  iron,  are  noticeable  as  the  lode,  after  crossing  New 
Eiver  for  the  last  time,  passes  into  the  county  from  Grayson, 
about  three  miles  north  of  Old  Town.  Here,  near  the  Leon- 
ard Mine,  in  the  Clifton  Copper  and  Silver  Mine,  the  lode  be- 
gins to  show  those  surface  brown  ores  of  iron  which  assume 
such  vast  proportions  a  mile  or  two  northeast  at  the  Great 
Outburst.  It  is  possible  that  at  the  Great  Outburst,  and  on 
the  Chestnut  Creek  property  of  Wistar  Copper  Mining  Com- 
pany, the  ore  is  more  than  150  feet  thick  by  an  average  of 
30  to  35  feet.  Dr.  Genth,  in  speaking  of  the  6,800  feet  length 
of  the  lode,  which  he  examined  in  1876,  says :  "  Taking  the 
average  width  at  45  feet,  and  the  depth  of  the  limonite  (gos- 
san) workable  as  a  valuable  iron  ore  at  30  feet,  and  the 
weight  of  one  cubic  foot  of  this  limonite  at  150  pounds,  the 
Chestnut  Creek  property  contains  at  least  a  body  of  586,000 
tons  of  available  iron  ore,  yielding  about  50  per  cent,  of  pig 
metal. " 

Again,  from  Copperas  Hill,  on  Crooked  Creek,  where  the 
great  lode  appears  to  divide  into  two  great  veins,  going 
northeastwardly,  through  all  the  old  workings — on  the  lands 
of  the  Wythe  Lead  and  Zinc  Mines  (which  also  own  copper 
property),  Vaughan,  Ann  Phipps,  Wild  Cat,  Cranberry,  Dal- 
ton mines,  Ann  Eliza,  and  Betty  Baker  mines — you  find  a  ton- 


CAEROLL   CO. — MAGNETITE.  275 

nage  of  brown  iron  ores  in  tlie  sliape  of  gossan  wliicli  will  go 
up  iuto  tlie  millions  of  tons. 

These  ores — as  at  the  Betty  Baker  mines — often  present 
the  appearance  of  highly  valuable  ochreous  deposits.  And  the 
value  of  the  whole  is  now  only  a  question  of  cheap  transpor- 
tation. 

SPECULAR  ORES. 

The  pure  ores  of  this  variety  are  not  as  yet  found  in  very 
large  quantities  in  Carroll,  though  five  veins  are  strongly  sus- 
pected in  this  series  of  rocks.  Near  Thompson's  Mill,  on  a 
hill  north  of  a  small  creek  which  runs  into  Little  Reed  Island 
Creek,  there  is  specular  ore  combined  with  magnetite  in  a 
vein  not  yet  fully  developed,  but  supposed  to  be  six  feet 
thick. 

MAGNETITE. 

Magnetic  iron  ore  is  found  in  many  localities  in  Carroll ;  it 
is  found  to  follow  a  line  just  north  of  the  Southern  Lode  ;  and 
again  another  series  of  outcroppings  is  observable  both  north 
and  south  of  the  strike  of  the  Great  Northern  Lode,  as  well 
as  in  many  other  localities.  Unfortunately  a  want  of  transjior- 
tation  has  prevented  the  citizens  from  taking  sufScient  in- 
terest in  these  ores  to  have  them  developed. 

The  magnetite  as  showing  in  surface  pieces  is  usually  very 
good  ;  and  there  isn't  enough  titanium — as  rutile — shoM'ing 
on  the  surface  to  warrant  the  belief  that  it  is  heavily  impreg-' 
natod  with  that  impurity.  As  has  just  now  been  said,  mag- 
netite exists  with  specular  ore  in  a  vein  which  crosses  a  hill 
not  far  nortli  of  Thompson's  Mill.  Should  tliis  vein  be  six 
foet  thick,  as  suspected,  the  quantity  of  ore  it  will  yield 
throughout  its  length  above  water  level  woiild  be  very  great, 
the  hills  being  usually  180  foot  at  their  crests  above  water 


276  CAEROLL  CO. — COPPER  ORE, 

in  the  creeks.  Nearer  tlie  Great  Nortliern  Copper  Lode,  on  tlie 
northern  side,  as  well  as  on  the  southern  side,  the  ores  picked 
lip  are  a  purer  magnetite ;  but  no  satisfactory  data  have 
been  collected  yet  as  to  the  thickness  of  the  deposits. 

IRON  PYRITES. 

To  speak  of  the  iron  pyrites  fully,  again  anticipates  the  de- 
scrij)tion  of  the  great  metalliferous  lodes  carrying  copper, 
which  would  seem  more  properly  to  belong  to  the  chapter  on 
cojiper. 

Iron  pyrites  in  Carroll  is  found  in  many  of  the  rock  strata. 
Nearly  every  quartz  lead  has  more  or  less  of  it.  It  is  the 
great  basic  material  of  the  Southern  Copper  Lode.  It  forms 
the  greater  mass  of  the  Northern  and  Dalton  Lodes,  besides 
minor  ones  it  would  be  tedious  to  mention.  To  form  even 
the  most  distant  idea  of  its  quantity,  it  is  only  necessary  to 
ima,gine  a  length  of  54  miles,  by  a  thickness  of  30  feet,  of  an 
unknown  but  very  great  depth.  Much  of  this,  strictl}^  is 
pyrrhotite  or  polarized  pyrites.  A  proportion  of  it  is  also 
arsenical :  the  quantity  of  arsenic  may  assume,  at  points,  large 
proportions.  In  all  probability,  the  quantity  of  arsenic  in 
the  Southern  Lode  is  much  greater  than  in  any  other,  judging 
from  the  constituents  it  shows  in  Floyd  County. 

The  iron  pyrites,  under  favorable  conditions  of  cheap  trans- 
portation, would  become  an  important  basis  for  large  chemi- 
cal works,  including  the  manufacture  of  fertilizers  on  a  large 
scale.  Much  of  it  being  above  water  level,  it  could  be  mined 
with  great  facility. 

COPPER  ORE. 

It  is  not  taking  too  much  for  granted  to  say  that  the  copper 
ores  of  Carroll  County  have  become  akeady  very  widely 
known. 


CARROLL  CO. — NATIVE  COPPER.  277 

Besides  the  humble  efforts  of  the  author,  Lieut.  Maury, 
Dr.  T.  S.  Hunt,  Dr.  F.  A.  Genth,  and  other  gentlemen  emi- 
nent in  scientific  pursuits  have  had  something  to  say  about 
these  veins.  To  these  may  also  be  added  the  efforts  of  Dr. 
Curry  and  of  Dr.  Dickeson.  To  Dr.  Curry  may  be  ascribed 
the  first  effort  to  map  out  these  veins,  and  illustrate  them  and 
the  general  geology  of  the  country  with  proper  cross  sections ; 
and  the  errors  which  he  may  have  committed,  here  and  there, 
are  more  than  compensated  by  the  mass  of  really  reliable  in- 
formation which  he  gave  at  so  early  a  day  as  1859. 

Taking  the  Southern  or  Ore  Knob  Toncray  Lode  into  con- 
sideration first,  it  derives  more  of  its  importance  as  a  copper 
lode  from  the  splendid  showings  at  Ore  Knob,  on  its  south- 
west extension,  and  the  Toncray  Mine,  on  its  northeast  exten- 
sion, than  from  anything  known  of  it  in  Carroll  County  ;  but 
it  may  be  assumed  that  it  must,  at  greater  or  less  depths,  at 
many  places  in  Carroll,  contain  rich  ores  of  copper.  It  is  a 
matter  of  regret  that  its  greater  distance,  along  here,  from 
railway  transportation,  has  prevented  it  from  being  more 
thoroughly  developed. 

native  COPPER. 

Nest,  going  northwardly,  is  encountered  the  remarkable 
lode  of  native  copper,  which  is  known  to  run  for  eighteen 
miles  in  a  direction  which  cuts  diagonally  across  the  general 
strike  of  the  other  veins.  It  was  stated  in  the  author's  paper 
recently  read  before  the  New  York  meeting  of  the  American 
Institute  of  Mining  Engineers,  tliat  tliis  lode  had  a  direction 
from  northwest  to  southeast.  Tliis  was  putting  it  strongly, 
to  show  the  difference  between  its  course  and  tliat  of  the 
Great  Northern  Lode,  which  is  from  soutliwost  to  northeast. 
The  true  course  of  the  Native  Lode  is  more  east  and  west.  It 
is  apiiarcntly  perpendicular  in  attitude — G  feet  of  close,  hard 


278        CAEEOLL  CO. — THE  PEACH  BOTTOM  LODE. 

scliistose  material,  liolding  native  copper,  liaving  walls  of  tre- 
molitic  and  liornblendic  trap,  in  some  places  yielding  beryl. 

Its  location,  as  determined  by  actual  survey,  is  shown  on 
tlie  large  map  accompanying  tliis  book.  It  will  be  seen  from 
tliat,  tliat  it  intersects  the  Peach  Bottom  Lode  near  Wood- 
lawn,  and  traverses  the  formation  in  the  direction  of  a  point 
where  the  Southern  Lode  crosses  the  boundary  line  between 
Carroll  and  Floyd.  It  may  be  submitted  that  there,  on  the 
head-waters  of  Laurel  Creek,  valuable  discoveries  may  be  an- 
ticipated. 

No  estimate  has  as  yet  been  given  of  the  percentage  of  cop- 
per in  this  vein  above  eight  per  cent.  The  vein  can  be  seen 
exposed  at  James  Early's,  south  of  Hills ville,  and  at  the  point 
where  it  crosses  Keed  Island  Creek,  besides  other  places. 

THE  PEACH  BOTTOM  LODE. 

This  lode  can  be  clearly  traced  from  the  southwest  side  of 
the  county,  very  distinctly,  as  far  as  Hillsville.  It  passes 
close  on  the  south  of  "Woodlawn,  and  there  on  lands  of  that 
vicinity  it  shows  plainly  in  nearly  perpendicular  ledges 
of  micaceous  schists  interlaminated  with  quartz.  These 
rocks  are  gneissoid  in  structure  as  you  approach  Hillsville  ; 
and  there  they  are  in  such  workable  ledges  that  some  of  the 
stones  containing  cojjper  pyrites  are  now  in  the  foundation  of 
the  court-house.  It  will  be  as  well  to  repeat  here  what  is 
said  in  the  description  of  the  Peach  Bottom  Copper  Mine,  that 
the  ore  of  this  vein,  everywhere  it  has  been  examined,  is  cop- 
per i^yrites,  with  some  carbonate  of  copper  near  the  surface, 
resulting  from  decomposition  of  pyrites,  and,  for  the  greater 
length  of  the  vein,  silver-bearing  galenite.  It  is  almost  im- 
possible to  give  a  correct  idea  of  its  thickness  or  value  in 
Carroll.  So  little  has  its  presence  been  suspected  by  the 
mining  world  that  sufficient  developments  have  not  as  yet 
been  made  by  which  to  judge  correctly. 


CARROLL  CO. — XOETHERN  LODE.  279 

A  quartz  lode  containing  pyrites  of  iron  and  copper,  in  dis- 
tinct crystals,  of  large  size,  is  next  found  between  tlie  Peacli 
Bottom  Lode  and  the  Northern  Lode,  lying  nearer  the  latter 
than  the  former.  It  is  not  probable  that  it  will  prove  of 
value,  as  the  quartz  forms  too  large  a  percentage  of  the 
measure. 

Next  north  of  this  is  the  Great  Northern  Lode  of  copper 
and  iron  pyrites. 

NORTHERN  LODE. 

It  may  be  an  error  to  call  all  of  these  metalliferous  veins 
by  the  technical  term  lode.  As  to  this  one,  it  has  the  appear- 
ance just  west  of  Chestnut  Creek  of  occupying  a  perj)endicu- 
lar  fissure  in  a  dipping  stratification ;  while  at  a  point  near 
Early's,  at  Cranberry  Plains,  it  dips  45^  about,  in  a  direction 
southeastwardly.  At  the  latter  it  would  be  regarded  as  dis- 
tinctly a  bedded  vein  ;  at  the  former,  a  fissure  vein  or  lode. 

This  great  vein  or  lode,  coming  from  the  direction  of  Duck- 
town,  makes  its  appearance  in  Carroll  County  about  three 
miles  north  of  Old  Town  on  the  Carroll-Gra^'son  line,  and 
extends,  without  intermission,  twenty-five  miles,  northeast- 
wardly, to  the  Carroll-Floyd  line. 

Its  first  southwestern  opening  of  any  consequence  is  at  the 
Leonard  opening,  sometimes  called  "  The  Clifton  Copper  and 
Silver  Mine,"  so  named  because  of  a  flattering  analysis  re- 
turned by  an  Indianapolis  chemist,  in  which  he  ascribed  to 
this  part  of  the  vein  the  remarkable  quality  of  holding  (be- 
sides sulphur,  iron,  and  copper),  nickel,  silver,  and  arsenic- 
A  great  many  persons  do  not  credit  this  analysis,  which  was 
made  for  Mr.  Edward  Shelley,  of  Wythevillo  ;  but  when  the 
chemist  was  applied  to,  he  persisted  in  saying  that  the  ores 
sent  him  gave  the  results  reported.  It  is  somewhat  singular 
that  Dr.  Genth  did  not  find  silver  or  nickel  in  the  ores  about 
Chestnut  Creek,  two  and  a  half  miles  farther  northeast.     Mr. 


280  CARROLL  CO. — NORTHERN  LODE. 

Dean,  of  Indianapolis,  reported  one  mass  of  the  ore  sent  him 
to  contain  over  $450  to  the  ton  in  silver  ;  but  as  the  matter  is 
entirely  too  important  to  be  left  to  any  degree  of  conjecture, 
no  fuller  report  will  here  be  given  of  the  analysis,  the  hope 
being  entertained  that  selected  samples  of  the  ores  may  be 
forwarded  to  different  competent  chemists  for  thorough  assay. 
Next  to  the  Clifton  Mine  is  the  Great  Outburst — a  name  ap- 
plied to  an  immense  surface  exhibition  of  gossan — on  the  west- 
ern boundary  of  the  tract  of  the  Wistar  Copper  Mining  Co.  ; 
then  going  east  less  than  a  mile  you  are  on  the  main  mining 
ground  of  this  company,  of  which  Dr.  F.  A.  Genth  made  a 
very  close  and  exhaustive  examination  of  6,800  feet  of  the 
lode  near  Chestnut  Creek,  in  1876,  at  which  examination  the 
author  was  present. 

Although  Dr.  Genth  says  the  vein  is  "  between  30  and  over 
60  feet,"  it  is  believed  to  be,  at  one  place,  over  150  feet  thick. 

Dr.  Genth  says  :  "  The  geological  formation  on  these  lands 
is  that  of  gneissic  rocks,  more  esj^ecially  consisting  of  mica 
slates  and  schists,  graduating  into  chloritis  and  talcose.  Their 
average  dip  is  about  45°  southeast,  with  a  strike  between 
north  30°  east  and  north  45°  east. 

"  A  very  large  mineral  deposit  between  45  and  65  feet  in 
width  coincides  in  its  course  with  the  strike  of  the  inclosing 
rocks  ;  from  the  developments  made  by  Shaft  No.  1,  the  ore 
deposit  seems  to  intersect  the  rock-strata,  and  to  be  nearly 
perpendicular,  corresponding  in  this  respett  with  similar  de- 
posits in  the  same  range  of  mountains,  for  instance,  with  that 
at  Ore  Knob,  Ashe  County,  N.  C. 

"  The  ore  deposit  has  been  developed  by  numerous  shafts 
and  several  tunnels,  many  of  which  have  been  made  long  ago, 
and  are  at  present  inaccessible. 

"  About  3,400  feet  from  the  southwest  boundary  line  of  the 
property.  Shaft  No.  1,  or  the  Pyrites  Shaft,  has  been  sunk  to  a 
depth  of  105  feet  altogether  in  the  vein.      At  the  bottom  of  it 


CAEKOLL  CO. — NORTHERN  LODE.  281 

a  tunnel  has  been  started  toward  the  southeast  wall,  which, 
however,  was  not  reached. 

"  This  shaft  was  started  in  the  decomposed  part  of  the  vein, 
the  so-called  *  gossan,'  a  hydrous  ferric  oxide  or  limonite. 
At  the  depth  of  ten  feet  this  was  occasionally  stained  with 
green  carbonate  of  copper  or  malachite,  which  sometimes  oc- 
curred even  in  larger  masses. 

"  At  a  depth  of  between  20  and  25  feet  the  limonite  was 
penetrated,  and  a  bed  of  black  copper  ore  of  about  three 
feet  in  thickness  was  reached.  This  consisted  chiefly  of 
black  oxide  of  copper,  copper  glance,  and  small  quantities 
of  copper  pyrites.  The  analysis  of  samples  of  this  ore 
yielded  21.08  and  28.90  per  cent,  of  metallic  copper. 

"  At  a  depth  of  25  feet  the  oxidized  ores  had  completely 
disappeared,  and  were  replaced  by  the  undccomposed  sul- 
phurets,  mostly  ]oyi'i"hotite  or  magnetic  pyrites,  with  some 
iron  pyrites  and  small  quantities  of  copper  pyrites. 

"  These  developments  show  that  the  vein  was  divided  by 
interlaminated  talc  into  three  seams;  that  near  the  hanging 
wall  and  foot  wall  containing  a  far  smaller  percentage  of  cop- 
per pyrites  than  the  central  seam,  which  latter  is  about  10 
feet  in  thickness,  the  total  thickness  of  the  vein  being  here 
about  30  feet. 

"  Although  not  free  from  copper  pyrites,  the  ores  in  the 
other  seams  consist  mostly  of  pyrrhotito.  The  central  seam, 
with  a  considerable  admixture  of  copper  pyrites,  was  struck 
by  the  shaft  between  40  and  50  feet  depth,  and  Avas  again 
cut  by  the  tunnel  at  105  foot,  sJiowing  tlie  same  (■haract(M-, 
but  with  a  decided  increase  of  copper  pyrites  at  the  lowest 
depth  reached,  from  Avhich  it  is  safe  to  presume  tliat  this 
most  valuable  and  reliable  copper  ore  will,  in  greater  depth, 
replace  the  leaner  sulphurots  of  iron. 

"As  in  the  develo])iii(iits  made  by  this  shaft  the  ores  liad 
not  been  kept  separate,  I  have  selected  with  great  care,  from 


282  CARROLL  CO. — NORTHERN  LODE. 

tlie  ores  on  tlie  surface,  a  sample  representing  the  lowest 
yield  of  the  same.  It  was  found,  to  contain  1.70  per  cent,  of 
cojjper ;  ores  from  the  central  seam  and  the  southeast  tunnel 
yielded  9.36  j^er  cent,  of  copper.  It  would  have  been  easy, 
if  this  had  been  desirable,  to  select  ores  yielding  from  30  to 
35  per  cent,  of  copper. 

"  Near  this  shaft,  on  the  west  side  of  the  vein,  a  tunnel 
was  started,  by  which  developments,  however,  no  additional 
information  could  be  gained. 

"  Ascending  the  hill  toward  northeast,  the  Shaft  No.  2,  or 
JVJdm  Shaft,  is  reached  at  a  distance  of  1,5G0  feet.  This 
shaft  was  inaccessible,  being  full  of  water.  Ores  which  had 
been  raised  from  it,  and  which  were  lying  on  the  surface, 
showed  the  character  of  the  deposit. 

"After  the  penetration  of  the  gossan  or  limonite,  rich 
black  ores  were  found  at  a  depth  of  about  40  feet,  in  a  layer 
of  about  14  inches  in  thickness,  accompanied  by  about  21 
feet  of  leaner  ores,  consisting  of  pyrrhotite,  copper  pyrites, 
a  little  black  oxide  of  copper  associated  with  talc  and  actiono- 
lite,  and  yielding  about  10  per  cent,  of  copper.  A  samj)le  of 
the  black  ore  from  this  shaft  yielded  by  analysis  51.53  per 
cent,  of  coj)per. 

"  This  shaft  has  not  been  sunken  deep  enough  to  reach 
to  undecomposed  sulj^hurets. 

"  Here  the  vein  has  been  stripped  across  for  45  feet,  but 
had  not  reached  the  walls. 

"  At  a  distance  of  414  feet  from  Shaft  No.  2  is  another  one, 
and  24  feet  further  on  a  fourth,  and  96  feet  northeast  from 
this  a  fifth,  the  latter  of  a  depth  of  80  feet.  They  are  all 
inaccessible,  and  in  part  caved  in. 

"  There  are  several  other  shafts  and  tunnels  on  the  1,350 
feet  of  vein  between  the  last-named  shaft  and  the  northeast 
boundary  line,  neither  of  which  could  be  examined  on  ac- 
count of  their  inaccessibility. 


CAEEOLL  CO. — XOETHEEN  LODE.  283 

"  By  these  developments  tlie  cliaracter  of  tlie  ore  deposit 
lias  been  shown  to  be  the  same  fhwicghout ;  large  quantities 
of  rich  black  copper  ores  have  been  removed  by  these  work- 
ings. 

"  There  is  another  point  of  importance  to  which  I  wish  to 
call  your  attention,  namely,  to  another  copper  deposit,  which 
lies  southeast  of  the  main  ore  deposit  at  a  distance  of  about 
80  feet. 

"  It  has  been  proved  by  a  shaft  and  tunnel,  No.  3,  not  to  be 
connected  with  the  main  vein.  I  could  see  in  the  tunnel 
only  a  small  part  of  that  w^hich  w^as  left  from  previous  work- 
ings, which  was  a  body  of  black  ore  about  18  inches  thick 
and  15  feet  in  length.  A  sample,  apparently  representing 
a  fair  average  of  the  ore,  yielded  by  assay  10.21  per  cent. 
of  copper. 

*'  It  is  not  improbable  that  this  deposit  originates  from  the 
reprecipitation  of  the  copper,  leached  out,  when  the  upjper 
part  of  the  main  vein  was  decomposed  and  converted  into 
limonite,  and  it  may  extend  the  whole  distance  of  the  main 
vein  and  parallel  with  it. 

"  I  consider  it  of  great  importance  to  make  developments 
to  ascertain  the  value  of  this  suggestion,  as  the  ores  from 
this  deposit  can  be  easily  mined. 

"  Summing  up  the  observations  which  have  been  made  on 
the  main  vein,  we  find  the  following  data : 

"Tlie  length  of  the  vein  through  the  Chestnut  Creek 
property  is  proved  for  a  distance  of  over  6,800  feet.  The 
vein  can  be  traced  over  the  whole  property  by  a  very  bold 
outcrop  of  limonite  or  so-called  gossan.  The  thickness  of 
the  vein  is  between  30  and  over  GO  feet. 

"According  to  the  elevation,  tlie  oxidized  ores,  mainly 
limonite,  free  from  sulphurets  and  with  traces  only  of  copper 
ores,  form  the  upper  part  of  the  vein  to  a  depth  of  from  20 
to  10  feet. 


284  CAEROLL   CO. — NORTHERN  LODE. 

"Below  tlae  limonite  is  invariably  found  a  ricli  layer  of 
copper  ores  from  one  to  three  feet  in  thickness,  and  yielding 
from  ten  to  over  fifty  per  cent,  of  copper. 

"  Below  this  occur  the  undecomposed  sulphurets,  princi- 
pally pyrrhotite  or  magnetic  pyrites,  intermixed  with  small 
quantities  of  copper  pyrites,  the  latter  increasing  as  a  greater 
depth  is  reached,  from  which  fact  it  is  reasonable  to  suppose 
that  this  ore  may  soon  be  found  in  paying  quantities. 

'•  Based  upon  the  above  data,  the  following  will  be  seen  to 
be  a  low  estimate  of  the  valuable  ores  at  present  existing  in 
the  main  ore  deposit  of  the  Chestnut  Creek  property,  leaving 
out  of  consideration  the  sulphureted  ores. 

"  Taking  the  black  ores  only  at  one  foot  in  thickness,  there 
are  over  300,000  cubic  feet  of  copper  ore,  representing  about 
20,000  tons  of  ore,  yielding  not  less  than  4:,000  tons  of  fine 
copper. 

"From  these  data,  and  the  fact  that  the  undecomposed 
sulphurets  show  a  decided  increase  in  the  yield  of  copper 
pyrites  in  depth,  the  great  value  of  your  property  is  self- 
evident." 

Then,  passing  on  northeastwardly  through  numerous  good 
properties  along  the  lode,  such  as  the  old  Limeberry,  Cop- 
peras Hill,  Wythe  Lead  and  Zinc  Comjoany's  copper  lands, 
Vaughan's,  and  others,  we  come  to  the  old  J.  Early  property, 
now  owned  by  the  Baltimore  firm  of  Clayton  &  Willl^ms,  as 
well  as  being  owners  of  about  nine  miles'  length  on  the  lode 
either  way  from  this  property.  When  Dr.  Curry  visited  this 
property  in  1859,  the  shafts  and  tunnels  were  then  in  better 
condition  for  exploring  the  vein  than  they  have  ever  been 
since.  In  fact,  little  or  no  work  has  been  done  since  then  of 
a  reliable  nature  ;  that  is  to  say,  very  intelligently  directed. 

Dr.  Curry  says  :  "  The  property,  extending  one  half  mile 
on  the  lead,  was  opened  in  1854,  and  the  work  pushed  to  a 
greater  extent  than  on  any  other  property.     This  property  is 


CAEEOLL  CO. — NOETHEEN  LODE.  235 

composed  of  an  elevated  ridge,  whicli  rises  like  a  crest  over- 
looking tlie  Wytheville  Turnpike,  and  well  adapted  to  the 
tunneling  to  whicli  it  lias  been  subjected.  The  total  drivage 
of  levels  amounts  to  800  feet,  opening  upon  a  mineral  vein 
about  60  feet  below  the  surface,  and  running  north  54°  east, 
with  a  dip  of  60^  to  southeast.  The  entire  vein,  in  all  its 
length  through  the  property,  is  estimated  at  not  less  than 
10  feet  thick  and  25  feet  wide.  There  are  about  nine  shafts 
sunk  on  the  lead,  for  ventilating  mainly,  their  total  depth  be- 
ing 250  feet,  though  the  deepest  only  reaches  45  feet.  Neither 
the  depth  nor  the  width  of  the  mineral  vein  has  been  fully 
ascertained.  Cross-cuts  have  been  made  from  the  main  tun- 
nels, and  parallel  levels  driven,  but  still  along  the  mineral 
lode.  The  works  on  this  property  exhibit  very  markedly  the 
order  of  superposition  of  the  various  ores  of  these  mines. 
After  penetrating  through  the  gossan  crust,  which  here  is 
strongly  deposited,  the  carbonates  and  oxides  are  found  oc- 
cupying the  upper  portions  of  the  veins.  To  these  succeed, 
in  the  second  galleries,  the  decomposed  bisulphurets  or  black 
ores  ;  and,  in  the  lower  gallery,  the  gray  and  blue  bisulphurets, 
beneath  which  lies  the  mundic  rock.  These  galleries  are  sepa- 
rated by  thin  floors  of  rock,  or  of  plank,  and  beautifully  illus- 
trate the  system  of  mining  (1850)  in  following  the  vein  down- 
ward. A  deep  shaft  has  been  also  sunk  in  the  valley  at  the 
base  of  the  ridge,  and  near  the  turnpike,  whicli,  after  passing 
through  a  hard,  quartzose  slate,  opened  upon  a  vein  of  the 
yellow  sulpliurot.  Tliis  shaft,  in  our  opinion,  would  have 
yielded  handsome  results,  had  it  been  located  a  few  paces 
farther  to  the  south.  It  also  establislies  the  fact,  thni  below 
the  mundic  comes  the  yellow  sulpliurot  in  the  vein  rock,  which 
would  grow  richer  as  the  depth  increased. 

"  There  have  been  700  tons  of  ore  shipped  from  this  mine, 
consisting  of  the  usiial  varieties  of  carbonates,  oxides,  and 
sulphurets,  and  averaging  15  per  cent." 


286  CAEROLL  CO. — NOETHEEN  LODE. 

Going,  then,  nortlieastwardly,  over  several  valualjle  open- 
ings on  tlie  lode,  tlie  Betty  Baker  Mine  is  reached,  of  whicli 
De  Cueey  says:  "Entering  the  levels  opposite  the  Anna 
Mary  Mines,  we  pass  in  for  40  feet  at  right  angles  to  the  lode, 
■where  it  is  reached.  It  is  then  followed  300  feet,  with  some 
two  or  three  cross-cnts  and  parallel  drifts,  exposing,  through- 
out its  entire  length,  a  splendid  view  of  the  vein,  from  which 
the  red  and  black  oxides  are  mined,  yielding  22  per  cent. 
Since  the  1st  of  May  last,  130  tons  of  20  per  cent,  ore  have  been 
taken  out  and  shijDped  to  Baltimore.  Here,  as  in  the  Cran- 
berry Mines,  the  richer  ores  occupy  the  upper  vein,  while 
the  poorer  lie  upon  the  mundic  rock,  beneath  which  no  ex- 
plorations have  been  made  (1859)." 

Since  that  time  (1859),  however,  very  extensive  explorations 
have  been  made  by  Me.  James  E.  Clayton,  of  Ore  Knob,  and 
the  yellow  sulphuret  found  below,  as  is  usually  anticipated 
in  veins  which  show  such  a  quantity  of  decomposed  ores 
nearer  the  surface. 

It  may  be  remembered,  in  speaking  of  iron  pyrites,  it  was 
stated  that  this  Northern  Lode  seemed,  in  going  northeast- 
wardly, to  divide  at  Copperas  Hill,  and  to  present  from  there 
two  veins.  The  southern  of  these  two  is  called  the  Dalton 
vein.  In  fact,  during  the  time  when  copper  was  commanding  a 
high  figure  in  market,  previous  to  1861,  the  excitement  here  was 
so  high  that  everything  containing  the  slightest  trace  of  cop- 
per was  magnified  into  a  vein  or  lode  ;  hence,  we  are  informed, 
by  some  of  the  old  reports  still  in  existence,  that  in  the 
vicinity  of  Cranberry  Plains  there  were  three  distinct  veins, 
known  as  the  Early,  Dalton,  and  Dickeson  leads.  De.  Dicke- 
SON,  then  of  Philadelphia  (1857),  in  reporting  to  the  "  Dalton 
Mining  Company,"  says  : 

"  The  geology  of  this  mining  property  belongs  to  a  some- 
what complicated  series  of  rocks.  The  lodes  are  contained 
between  walls  of  talco-micaceous  slate,  belonging  to  the  Silu- 


CAKEOLL  CO. — NORTHERN  LODE.  287 

.rian  epoch  or  period,  but  the  metamorphic  influence  they  have 
been  subjected  to  has  greatly  modified  its  character.  The 
summits  of  the  hills  we  find  composed  of  primordial  rocks, 
consisting  of  imperfect  granite,  mica  slates,  talcose  slates,  and 
immense  quartz  rocks.  On  the  western  descent  we  meet  with 
a  series  of  shaley  sandstones  and  slates,  all  of  a  metamorphic 
character.  Descending  into  the  valley  and  ravines,  the  rocks 
partake  of  the  graywacke  and  conglomerate  series,  with  alter- 
nating layers,  varying  in  comj)Osition  and  color  from  an  ashy 
gray  to  a  pale  blue  tint. 

"  On  the  southwestern  slope  the  gossan  outcrop  is  very  re- 
markable for  its  bright  red  color,  and  the  disintegration,  caused 
by  atmospheric  action,  produces  a  beautiful  and  permanent 
pigment,  that  might  be  aj^plied  to  many  useful  purjDoses. 
Two  lar»e  quartz  veins  occur  on  the  property,  and  in  places 
large  masses  are  scattered  about  in  great  confusion,  com- 
pletely intermixed  with  the  gossans.  Three  well-defined  met" 
alliferous  leads  coursing  north  24°  east,  and  nearly  parallel 
to  each  other,  may  be  traced  upon  the  surface  by  the  gossan 
outcrop ;  and,  by  the  depression  of  the  exposed  strata,  the 
angular  dip  was  ascertained  to  be  35°. 

"Along  the  sides  of  the  ravines  numerous  prospecting 
openings  have  been  made,  and  each,  as  far  as  the  character  of 
the  lode  is  concerned,  shows  the  same  deposit  of  copper  ore. 
There  are  two  large  veins  of  quartz  on  the  Dalton  propert}^, 
which  I  have  found  to  be  identical  with  the  matrix  or  gangue 
stone  of  the  yellow  sulphurets  exposed  in  other  workings 
upon  this  lead.  This  rock,  by  comparison  with  that  of  the 
east  side  of  these  leads,  differs  in  not  being  liable  to  the 
same  decomposition  by  exposure.  This  gangue  I  have  traced 
for  several  miles  above  ground,  and  it  seems  to  lie  contiguous 
to  the  iron  lead  (Great  Northern  Lode),  which  follows  nearly 
the  course  of  the  mountainous  ridge. 

"  Tlie  average  width  of  the  quartz  veins  is  about  five  feet, 


288  CAEROLL  CO. — NORTHEEN  LODE. 

and,  if  we  should  include  the  numerous  ramifying  branches 
that  set  off  from  innumerable  points,  it  might  be  stated  much 
wider.  Farther  on,  we  find  a  coalescence  of  all  these  ramifi- 
cations ;  and,  if  we  are  to  take  the  mining  rule  for  granted, 
there  must  exist,  at  no  great  distance,  a  heavy  deposit  of  ore. 

"  The  Dalton  Mine  is  situated  upon  the  lead  of  the  same 
name,  and  consists  of  seven  regular  shafts,  sunk  about  35  feet 
in  depth,  cutting  the  lode  of  smut  ore,  which  enveloped  con- 
siderable bodies  of  black,  gray,  and  red  oxides  of  copper. 
From  these  shafts  there  have  been  driven  four  horizontal  gal- 
leries or  levels  of  variable  lengths,  from  40  to  150  feet,  the 
lode  in  these  dipping  at  an  angle  of  45°  from  the  horizon. 

"  There  are  four  shafts,  which  have  lately  been  sunk  under 
the  direction  of  Heney  Anseeote,  who  now  has  charge  of  the 
workings.  The  southern  shaft  was  sunk  42  feet,  through  a 
bed  of  light  gossan,  and  at  this  depth  it  coppered  over  the 
entire  shaft ;  north,  from  the  above-named  shaft,  at  the  depth 
of  36  feet,  a  fine  body  of  copper  ore  was  cut.  They  sank  on 
the  north  wall,  drove  east,  and  exposed  an  immense  lead  of 
copper  ore.  Four  hundred  yards  north  a  prospecting  shaft 
was  sunk  25  feet  through  gossan,  and  at  that  depth  struck 
the  lode ;  this  shaft  was  40  feet  off  the  lead ;  beyond  this, 
some  250  yards  northeast,  they  cut  through  25  feet  of  gos- 
san and  struck  copper  ore ;  but  here  the  water  came  upon 
them  and  drove  them  out. 

"  A  shaft  has  also  been  sunk  on  the  large  quartz  vein  to  the 
depth  of  40  feet,  where  numerous  nests  and  bunches  of  the 
yellow  sulphiiret  of  copper  were  found,  in  every  respect 
resembling  that  of  the  Fentres  and  M'Culloch  Mines,  Gilford 
County,  N.  C.  From  the  observed  course  of  this  pyriteous 
vein,  I  found  it  to  be  that  of  north  24°  east,  with  a  dip  that 
seemed  strongly  tending  to  verticality.  It  is  very  desirable  that 
these  veins  should  have  a  vertical  dip,  as  all  mining  operations 
are  much  more  simple  on  erect  than  flat  veins,  for  there  is 


CAEEOLL    CO. — GOLD    AND    SILYEK.  289 

less  cross-cutting  required,  and  fewer  winzes  have  to  be  sunk 
in  the  levels.  Seams  of  white  quartz,  interlaid  with  seams  of 
chloritic  green-stone,  occur  very  often  along  the  vein,  form- 
ing small  feeders,  and  invariably  indicate  a  greater  deposit  of 
ore  where  they  unite.  This  vein  does  not  exactly  conform  to 
the  gossan  outcrop  lying  north  of  it,  nor  does  it  entirely  agree 
with  the  other  quartz  veins  in  the  vicinity  ;  and,  from  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  gangue  in  the  40-feet  shaft,  I  should  judge 
the  sulphuret  to  be  not  far  off. 

"a  table  op  analysis   upon  samples  of  oee  obtained  from 

THE  different  SHAFTS  AND  OPENINGS  UPON  THE  PEOPEETY 
OF  THIS  COMPANY. 

31{nes.  Copper  Ores.  Percentage. 

Dalton Eed  oxide 63.04: 

"      Black  oxide 54.02 

"      Smut ^5.12  " 

It  may  be  possible  that  enough  has  been  thus  shown  to 
prove  the  inexhaustible  richness  of  these  metalliferous- veins, 
under  a  proper  system  of  mining,  aided  by  cheap  transpor- 
tation. 

It  would  tax  the  patience  of  the  reader  too  severely  to  give 
more  details  of  mining  operations  on  the  Great  Northern  Lode ; 
but  enough  work  has  been  done,  along  its  whole  length,  to 
prove  that  it  has  great  thickness — sometimes  reaching  150 
feet ;  and  that  it  is  sufficiently  charged  with  copper  to  render 
it  one  of  the  most  noted  copper  veins  in  the  world. 

GOLD    AND    SILVEE. 

No  well-ascertained  information  has  been  obtained,  as  yet, 

concerning  g(^ld  and  silver.     Gold  is  strongly  suspected  in  the 

Huronian   series,  occupying  the  southwestern   jirolongatiou 
19 


290  CAEEOLL  CO. — MINEEAL  SPEINGS. 

of  the  Brusli  Creek  Eocks,  wliicli  are  now  yielding  gold  in 
Montgomery  County.  Silver  is  reported  to  exist  in  large 
quantities  in  the  ores  of  the  Clifton  Mine,  in  a  vein  about 
eight  feet  thick  ;  but  silver  mining  would  seem  incredulous. 
The  same  may  be  said  of  niclcel  and  arsenic. 

MICA. 

No  mines,  yielding  large  mica,  have  been  opened  yet  in 
Carroll,  though  large  mica  is  known  to  exist  in  the  southern 
part  of  the  county.  Asbestos  is  also  known  to  exist,  but  is  not 
yet  explored. 

BUILDING   STONES. 

The  granitic  and  gneissoid  rocks  in  the  southern  part  of  the 
county  afford  fine  building  materials  ;  some  of  the  granite  has 
been  used  with  satisfaction  for  millstones. 

About  Hillsville  fine  ledges  of  gneiss  afford  good  building 
stone.  The  soapstone  ledges  are  also  called  into  requisition, 
from  which  to  make  linings  to  fireplaces,  jambs,  etc. 

MrNEEAL  SPEINGS. 

The  mineral  waters  of  Carroll  have  long  been  known 
throughout  this  section  as  among  the  most  curative  in  Vir- 
ginia. 

The  old  Grayson  Sulphur  Springs,  on  the  north  bank  of 
New  Eiver,  twenty  miles  south  of  Wytheville,  has  four 
springs,  "  all  of  which  issue  from  a  slate  rock  ;  three  of  them 
have"  openings  near  each  other,  within  an  area  of  thirty  feet 
in  diameter,  one  of  the  springs,  situated  immediately  under 
bluffs,  and  at  all  times  preserving  its  perfect  transparency 
and  limpidness,  in  the  small  basin  which  has  been  excavated 
around  it,  flows  off  through  a  channel ;  upon  which,  im- 
mediately after  leaving  its  basin,  it  commences  to  deposit  the 
peculiar  white  material  from  which  the  characteristic  title 


CAEEOLL    CO. — WATER  POWER,  291 

of  White  Sulphur  is  derived.  The  next,  which  is  similarly 
arranged,  throws  down  a  reddish-brown  color,  hence  the  name 
of  Eed  Sulphur  is  given  it.  The  other  two  appear  to  be 
chalybeate.  The  temperature  of  these  springs,  which  appears 
to  be  between  47  and  48  degrees,  is  so  low,  that  besides  fur- 
nishing a  cool  and  refreshing  draught,  they  are  able  to  con- 
tain their  gaseous  contents  much  longer  in  a  state  of  combi- 
nation, thus  giving  them  a  decided  advantage.  Owing  to  the 
presence  of  carbonic  acid  gas,  the  water  is  found  to  be  what 
is  called  in  familiar  terms  '  a  light  water  ; '  a  term  designated 
to  express  that  several  glasses  may  be  taken  without  experi- 
encing any  sense  of  oppression." 

These  waters  have  the  powerful  adjuvants  of  wild  and  ro- 
mantic scenery ;  river  and  mountain  combining  to  render  a 
lovely  scenery  more  attractive,  and  a  fine  and  inconceivably 
bracing  air  giving  a  zest  of  enjoyment  which  cannot  possibly 
be  equaled.  If  that  were  not  enough,  the  fine  trout  streams 
of  the  vicinity  afford  noble  sport,  and  the  hills  still  contribute 
a  deer  now  and  then  for  the  chase. 

TIMBER. 

This  county  is  well  supplied  with  extensive  forests  of  all 
the  trees  known  to  the  latitude  except  fir.  Toward  the 
southern  side  of  the  county  the  timber  areas  are  vast — al- 
most unbroken.  There  are  very  good  bodies  of  white  pine 
in  the  northwestern  section  of  the  county,  and  in  other  por- 
tions. A  great  deal  of  the  northern  half  of  the  county  has 
been  cut  over,  and  the  timber  made  into  charcoal,  to  su]iply 
the  iron  furnaces  and  the  load  mines  in  Wythe  County  ;  but 
there  is  enough  remaining  to  supply  a  large  demand  for  years 
to  come. 

WATER   POWER. 

If  the  water  power  of  Carroll  could  ever  bo  utilized,  there 
is  enough  of  it  surely  to  supply  an  almost  unlimited  re(J[uisi- 


292  CAKROLL  CO. — AGRICULTURE. 

tion.  The  fall  of  New  Kiver,  as  it  passes  througli  the  county, 
being  fully  fifteen  feet  per  mile  in  some  places,  would  give  a 
power  calculated  upon  a  discharge  of  1,150  cubic  feet  per 
second  in  very  low  stages.  Chestnut  and  Crooked  Creeks  dis- 
charge about  50  feet  per  second,  and  fall  rapidly.  Big  Eeed 
Island  Creek,  discharging  for  a  great  part  of  its  length  100  feet 
per  second  and  having  a  good  average  fall,  would  supply  fine 
powers  ;  Little  Eeed  Island  Creek,  of  about  two  thirds  the  vol- 
ume of  Big  Eeed  Island  Creek,  offers  many  fine  sites  for  mills, 
etc.  Poplar  Camp  Creek  likewise  offers  a  good  many  mill 
sites,  though  it  is  much  smaller  than  the  above  named.  These 
creeks,  with  their  larger  tributaries,  supply  every  section  of 
the  county  with  ample  water  facilities  of  every  kind  except 
navigation. 

MAISTJFACTURES. 

At  this  time  Carroll  may  boast  of  an  iron  forge  or  two,  and 
a  few  carding  machines;  but  beyond  these  its  want  of  trans- 
portation has  retarded  its  movements  in  the  direction  of 
manufacturing.  No  doubt  the  writer  of  a  few  years  hence 
will  have  to  record  a  large  number  of  various  kinds  of  works, 
strewn  along  the  river  and  the  great  metalliferous  lodes,  if 
the  well-known  existence  of  great  resources  is  any  incentive. 

AGRICULTURE. 

The  soil  of  Carroll,  like  that  of  Floyd  County,  is  fertile 
where  the  underlying  rock  strata  do  not  partake  too  heavily 
of  manganiferous  epidote  and  slate.  All  ledges  partaking  of 
trap  in  their  composition,  when  decomposed,  leave  a  rich  and 
permanent  soil ;  hornblende  schist  usually  follows  the  same 
rule.  Talco-micaceous  rocks  usually  leave  a  soil  easily 
washed,  which  is  not  regarded  for  strength.  The  absence  of  the 
great  granitic  masses,  which  mark  the  northern  side  of  Gray- 


a\EIlOLL  CO. — FRUITS.  293 

son  County,  and  make  it  so  ricTi,  leaves  tlie  nortliern  part  .of 
Carroll  not  so  well  off  in  agricultural  as  in  mineral  wealth. 
The  southern  half  of  the  county  seems  to  possess  by  far  the 
largest  areas  of  strong  lands,  except  where  the  lands  are  suf- 
ficiently level,  as  those  near  "Woodlawn,  to  intercej)t  all  fer- 
tilizing material  and  hold  it. 

In  many  places  in  the  county  there  are  good  grass  lands, 
even  to  the  crests  of  the  high  hills.  Wheat  usually  does 
well,  perhaps  better  than  corn.  Buckwheat,  rye,  oats,  and 
potatoes  make  never-failing  crops.  Cattle,  sheep,  horses, 
and  swine  do  well  in  the  county,  as  a  general  thing,  being 
raised  at  very  small  cost. 

SCENERY. 

In  various  parts  of  the  county  the  scenery  is  wild  and 
picturesque.  About  the  river  many  beautiful  views  meet 
the  eye.  Throughout  the  county  the  number  of  wild  and 
romantic  dells,  nearly  always  having  cascades  and  water- 
falls, is  almost  beyond  belief.  The  county  cannot  be  said  to 
be  lacking  in  this  particular. 

FRUITS. 

Carroll,  like  Grayson,  is  a  good  apple  county ;  but,  as  to 
other  fruits,  it  is  subject  to  tlie  same  risks,  as  to  constancy  of 
yield,  that  neighboring  counties  are. 

Grai[>es  coukl  be  made  a  specialty  in  the  county  with  suc- 
cess. 

Beefi  form  an  important  feature,  and  thrive  well. 

Finh  will  soon  be  numerous  in  all  the  streams,  as  soon  as 
the  improved  varieties  recently  placed  in  New  River  become 
more  numerous.  Speckled  trout  are  quite  common  in  the 
streams,  proving  the  character  of  the  streams  for  fine  fish. 


294  CAEEOLL   CO. — TOWNS  AND    VILLAGES. 

TEADE   IN   CATTLE,  SHEEP,  ETC. 

Of  cattle  tliere  are  3,000  liead  sold  annually,  of  wliicli 
2,500  head  are  stock  cattle,  and  500  head  are  fat  cattle. 
Many  of  them  go  to  Danville  and  Salem  for  shipment. 

There  are  100,000  pounds  of  bacon  annually  sold  at  Win- 
ston, N.  C,  about  50,000  pounds  to  other  points,  300  horses 
annually,  and  50  mules.  Of  sheep  there  are  about  3,000  sold 
annually,  and  25,000  pounds  of  wool,  some  of  which  is  con- 
sumed at  home. 

LINES   OF  TEANSPOETATION. 

The  U.  S.  Government  has  had  the  river  examined  with  a 
view  to  its  improvement ;  and  the  officer  in  charge  has  made 
a  report  favorable  to  the  scheme. 

The  Altoona  Coal  and  Iron  Co.,  of  Pulaski,  are  contem- 
plating an  extension  of  their  narrow-gauge  railway  through 
the  county. 

The  Pittsburg  Southern  Eailway,  if  extended,  may  pass 
along  the  western  side  of  the  county,  following  the  river. 

Also,  the  New  Eiver  Pailroad,  now  being  constructed 
between  Hinton,  Chesapeake  and  Ohio  Railroad  and  New 
Eiver  Depot,  Atlantic,  Mississippi  and  Ohio  Railroad,  may 
be  continued  up  the  line  of  New  Eiver,  through  Carroll,  on 
its  way  to  North  Carolina. 

TOWNS  AND  VILLAGES. 

Hillsville  is  the  county  site,  nearly  in  the  center  of  the 
county.  It  contains,  besides  the  court-house,  churches, 
hotels,  stores,  a  good  county  newspaper,  smith  shops,  repair 
shops,  schools,  etc. 

There  are  numerous  good  trading  posts  in  different  parts 
of  the  county,  but  there  are  no  places  as  large  as  Hillsville 
elsewhere  in  the  county.  Its  manufacturing  facilities  will, 
no  doubt,  one  day  cause  a  great  change  in  this  particular. 


GRAYSON  CO.— HOW  BOUNDED.  295 

Public  schools  will  hereafter  fare  better  in  Carroll  County ; 
tlie  principal  obstacle  heretofore  has  been  the  irregularity  in 
the  State  appropriation  to  the  schools ;  hereafter  that  point 
is  met  by  stringent  enactments  of  recent  legislatures. 


GEATSON  COUNTY. 

While  Southwestern  Virginia  can  boast  of  two  or  three 
good  counties  located  on  the  jjlateau  of  the  Cumberland 
Mountains,  carrying  with  them  all  that  reputation  for  wealth 
in  coal  which  the  name  Cumberland  usually  implies,  she  can 
point  with  equal  pride  to  the  counties  lying  on  the  Blue 
Kidge  plateau,  with  their  almost  immeasurable  wealth  of 
copper  ores,  magnetic  iron  ore,  gold,  and  that  numerous  list 
of  valuable  minerals  nearly  always  found  in  the  metamor- 
phic  series  of  rocks. 

Grayson  County  occupies  an  enviable  position  in  the  list 
of  Blue  Eidge  counties,  albeit  some  of  the  geographers  of 
the  day  try  to  throw  the  Alleghany  Mountains  to  the  south 
of  this  unquestionable  Blue  Eidge  system. 

Grayson,  with  its  lofty,  picturesque  mountains,  high  water- 
falls, beautiful  rivers  and  streams,  fine  grazing  and  farming 
lands,  ores  and  minerals  and  noble  forests,  is  not  second  to 
any  in  the  promise  of  a  fine  future. 

It  will  be  regarded  as  a  fortunate  circumstance  if  even 
partial  justice  can  be  done  to  Grayson  in  this  work  ;  but  this 
need  not  be  expected,  for  it  is  one  of  those  subjects  upon 
which  a  volume  can  bo  exhausted,  and  still  the  bulk  of  the 
story  remain  untold. 

HOW  BOUNDED. 

Grayson  is  separated  from  "Wythe,  Smyth,  and  Washing- 
ton counties  on  the  north  and  northwest  by  the  Iron  Mouu- 


296  GEAYSON   CO. — GEOLOGICAL. 

tain  Range,  wliicli  is  tlie  true  soutliwestern  prolongation  of 
tlie  north-lying  bifurcation  of  the  Blue  Eidge,  the  rocks  being 
identical  with  those  described  by  Peof.  Fontaine  as  marking 
the  Blue  Eidge  farther  east  in  Virginia.  On  the  south  side 
is  the  State  boundary  line  between  Virginia  and  North  Caro- 
lina ;  east  it  is  bounded  by  Carroll  County,  and  west  there  is 
a  small  length  bordering  with  the  State  of  Tennessee,  being 
separated  from  it  by  irregular  ranges  of  lofty  mountains 
belonging  to  the  Unaka  system.  In  this  series,  but  not  at 
the  corner  of  the  States  of  Virginia,  North  Carolina,  and 
Tennessee,  as  has  been  supjDosed,  is  the  w^ell-known  "White 
Top,"  which  rears  its  crest  nearly  6,000  feet  above  sea  level. 

HOW  WATEEED. 

Grayson  is  well  watered  by  New  Eiver  and  tributaries.  It 
gives  rise  to  no  other  waters,  except  perhaps  a  few  of  the 
head  sj^rings  of  Laurel  Creek — a  tributary  of  Holston  Eiver. 
It  may  be  considered  one  of  the  best-watered  counties  in  the 
State.  Not  only  does  New  Eiver  carry  at  all  seasons  suffi- 
cient water  for  even  navigable  purposes,  if  improved ;  but  its 
numerous  tributaries,  flowing  from  never-failing  springs,  sup- 
ply a  wealth  of  fine  water  for  every  purpose. 

GEOLOGICAL. 

There  is  a  difference  of  opinion  among  geologists  as  to  the 
exact  classification  of  the  rock  formation  in  Grayson.  It  may 
be  stated  here  with  confidence,  that  the  assertion  will  be 
finally  sustained,  that  the  southern  side  of  the  county  is  in 
the  gneissoid  system,  belonging  to  the  Laurentian  rocks,  and 
that  the  northern  side  of  the  county  is  marked  by  the  rocks 
of  the  Huronian  epoch.  The  trend,  or  direction  of  the  out- 
crop of  the  strata  is  between  north  45^  east  and  north 
65°  east.      The  dip  is  usually  southwardly,   or   rather,   at 


GEATSON  COUNTY. 


297 


Co 


i^ 


White  Top 


?  ^1 


I 


^''  ••'■'^'^ij.1'12'^^     Mountain 


13* 


298  GRAYSON    CO. GEOLOGICAL. 

right  angles  to  the  trend.  It  is  apparently  monoclinal,  that 
is,  the  ledges  all  seem  to  dip  in  one  direction  at  greater 
or  less  angles,  and  do  not  now  show  the  evidence  of  any 
folding  in  the  earth's  crust  there,  other  than  a  close  simi- 
larity in  the  appearance  of  many  of  the  ledges,  and  an 
evident  recurrence  of  the  same  mineral-bearing  series.  From 
the  latter  circumstance  it  may  be  inferred  that  anticlinal 
folds  have  occurred,  though  to  make  out  now,  in  these  par- 
tially metamorphosed  rocks,  any  distinct  order  of  stratifi- 
cation or  superposition  would  be  impossible.  The  rocks 
of  Grayson  undoubtedly  belong  to  that  long  period  of  tran- 
sition between  the  unstratified  Azoic  and  that  series  which, 
more  than  any  other,  has  the  right  to  be  called  the  first  of 
fossil-bearing  rocks — the  Lower  Potsdam,  or  the  first  of  the 
Cambrian  or  Lower  Silurian.  Therefore  the  mineralogist 
may  not  be  surprised  at  finding  the  following  list  of  miner- 
als, though  the  existence  of  some  of  them  is  more  susjDected 
than  positively  ascertained  as  yet : 

Garnet,  hornblende,  kyanite,  corundum,  and  staurotide,  all 
of  which  are  known  to  exist.  Labradorite,  magnetite,  trap, 
oligoclase,  orthoclase,  aibite,  chloritis,  manganesian  epidote, 
rutile,  talc,  actinolite,  mica  (phlogopite,  biotite,  muscovite), 
quartz,  limestone,  tourmaline,  beryl,  asbestos,  steatite ;  gran- 
ite of  several  varieties,  including  porphyritic  granite,  syenite, 
and  such  metalliferous  ores  in  quantity  as  copper  and  iron 
pyrites,  magnetite  (as  mentioned),  specular  ore,  brown  iron 
ore,  and  occasionally  arsenic,  antimony,  silver,  lead,  and 
gold,  with  the  existence  of  nickel  strongly  suspected. 

At  least  two  cross-sections  would  be  desirable ;  but  one 
will  be  sufiicient  to  give  a  very  fair  idea  of  the  general  posi- 
tion of  the  rocks,  the  trend  being  somewhat  uniform  through- 
out. 

Beginning  on  the  south,  about  where  the  Peach  Bottom 
Mountain  crosses  the  Virginia  line,  we  encounter  a  band  of 


GRAYSON  CO. — IRON   ORES.  299 

liornblende,  slates,  steatites,  then  mica  and  talc  scliists, 
quartzites,  etc.,  which  lie  between  the  great  Ore  Knob 
Copper  Lode  and  the  Peach  Bottom  Copper  Vein  ;  then  going 
north,  when  in  the  vicinity  of  the  last-named  vein,  you  en- 
counter talco-mica  slates — a  broad  band — occasionally  inter- 
stratified  with  mica  schists;  then  at  about  half  a  mile  more, 
over  occasional  bands  of  gneiss,  with  some  manganiferous 
epidote  to  a  broad  ledge  of  soapstone ;  then  over  gneissoid 
strata  and  a  succession  of  talco-mica  slates  and  schists  to  the 
great  iron  and  copper  pyrites  lode,  which  makes  such  extra- 
ordinary surface  showings  in  Carroll  County.  Then  for  six 
or  eight  miles,  over  a  succession  of  talco-mica  slates  and 
schists  and  manganiferous  epidotes  and  slates  in  almost  any 
order  of  succession,  with  some  soapstone,  we  reach  the 
southern  limit  of  the  great  granitic  bauds  which  show  on  so 
large  a  scale  in  Buck  Mountain,  Point  Lookout,  and  that 
range  of  rocks.  These  are  about  six  miles  in  thickness,  then 
they  begin  to  give  way  to  rocks  which  are  less  granitic  for 
the  more  purely  felspathic  series,  which  in  turn  give  way  to 
the  hydro-mica  slates  capping  the  Hurouian  system  in  Iron 
Mountain ;  in  the  last  four  or  five  miles  crossing  that  system, 
which  is  now  yielding  gold  in  interesting  quantities  farther 
northeast  in  Montgomery  County. 

IRON  ORES. 

The  iron  ores  of  greatest  importance  in  Grayson  are  the 
magnetites.  Brown  ores  exist  toward  the  soutliern  and 
southeastern  part  of  the  county ;  but  mainly  as  gossans  or 
hydrated  peroxides,  resulting  from  the  decomposition  of 
l)yritGS.  The  same  veins  of  iron  and  copper  pyrites,  which 
show  such  immense  beds  of  gossan  on  the  surface  in  Carroll 
County,  do  not  present  so  great  a  surface  showing,  in  tliat 
way,  in  Grayson.     Nfjtwithstanding  this  fact,  there  are  very 


300  GEAYSON  CO. — IKON  GEES. 

flattering  indications  of  brown  ores  liere  and  there  along  tlie 
pyrites  vein  in  the  neighborhood  of  New  Eiver,  and  on  the 
Southern  Copper  Lode  in  the  extreme  southeastern  part  of 
the  county. 

Specular  ores  are  found  in  quite  a  number  of  localities  in 
the  county.  One  vein,  somewhat  less  than  six  feet  thick, 
shows  in  the  south  slope  of  Iron  Mountain.  Its  purity  has 
not  yet  been  determined ;  but  the  quantity  of  the  ore  must 
be  very  great,  as  the  measure,  no  doubt,  extends  for  a  great 
many  miles.  There  are,  occasionally,  micaceous  looking 
pieces  of  specular  ore  found ;  but  no  positive  data  have,  as 
yet,  been  gathered  relative  to  the  quantity  and  the  various 
localities  in  which  it  shows  most  prominently. 

The  magnetic  iron  ore  of  this  county  is  found  in  veins  that 
may  be  said  to  lie  in  the  northeastern  prolongation  of  the 
celebrated  beds  of  Mitchell  County,  North  Carolina.  There 
are  three  distinct  measures  running  parallel  with  each  other, 
from  a  locality  on  the  State  line  a  little  south  of  the  mouth 
of  Wilson,  pursuing  a  direction  north  TS""  east  through  the 
Billings  land  and  to  the  south  of  Independence,  and  on  to  the 
eastern  limit  of  the  county,  crossing  New  Eiver,  the  last  time, 
about  three  and  a  lialf  miles  north  of  Old  Town.  Along  the 
course  of  these  very  valuable  veins  they  hold  very  different 
measures  :  eleven  feet,  one  of  them,  at  the  Billings  Mine  ; 
another,  to  the  south  of  that  one,  reported  nearly  one  hun- 
dred feet  thick ;  again,  as  you  approach  the  eastern  line  of 
the  county,  near  the  river,  neither  of  the  three  exceeds  three 
and  a  half  feet  in  thickness.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  go 
into  a  more  full  description  of  each  place  at  which  the  ore 
of  these  veins  is  exposed.  Any  one  can  take  the  map  and 
readily  find  the  general  locality  in  which  they  occur.  It 
might  be  of  interest  to  describe  fully  the  showing  at  Billings, 
as  from  it  a  better  idea  may  be  had  of  the  rock  material  ac- 
companying that  vein,  which  appears  here  to  be  the  north- 


•  GRAYSON  CO. — ^IRON  PYRITES.  301 

■ward  vein  of  tliis  series.  Tlie  vein  at  Billings,  or  tlie  Brusli 
Creek  Mines,  four  miles  soutliwest  of  Independence,  is  eleven 
feet  thick,  liaving  on  one  side  of  it  pyrites  of  iron  and  copper 
in  valuable  proportions  (perhaps  nickel),  roof  of  hornblende, 
schists,  and  slates,  floor  of  same,  quartz  predominating.  In 
this  floor  is  a  seven  inch  vein  of  spar,  apparently  fluor  spar. 
The  dip  here  is  60^  southeastwardly,  and  the  trend,  which  is 
local  at  this  place,  is  nearly  northeast.  The  vein  matter  will 
yield  thirty  per  cent,  of  fine  ore.  Now  and  then  fragments 
of  fine  magnetite  are  found  in  a  line  to  the  north  of  this 
series,  as  at  Mason's,  of  Elk  Creek,  but  no  developments  have 
as  yet  proven  the  thickness  of  the  vein.  The  prosj)ect  of  a 
fine  body  of  ore  being  found  on  the  river  within  three  or  four 
miles  of  Old  Town  is  very  good.  The  character  of  the  frag- 
ments obtained  there — for  instance  near  Cherry  Grove — is  of 
the  highest  order ;  and,  judging  from  the  size  of  the  pieces 
lying  on  the  surface,  the  veins  must  be  of  good  dimensions. 
Two  forges  in  the  county  have  been  or  are  now  using  ores 
from  these  veins :  one  on  Little  Eiver  southAvest  from  Old 
Town,  and  the  other,  perhaps  discontinued  now,  on  New 
Kiver,  eight  miles  southwest  from  Independence.  Running 
along  with  this  series  of  veins,  in  places,  is  a  seam  of  specular 
ore,  not  yet  found  over  eight  inches  thick. 

IRON   PYRITES. 

It  would  be  interesting  to  know  the  number  of  ledges  of 
rock,  Ijesides  well-recognized  veins  and  lodes  in  Grayson, 
which  are  more  or  less  heavily  impregnated  with  i)yrites. 
That  some  of  tlio  pyritous-bearing  sul)jocts  carry  gold  in 
good  quantity,  and  now  and  then  nickel,  there  can  be  but 
little  doubt. 

The  strictly  iron  pyrites,  hoAvever,  is  a  largely  preponder- 
ating constituent  in  three  of  the  great  metalliferous  measures 


302  GEAYSON   CO. — lEON  PYEITES. 

of  tlie  county,  namely,  tlie  Northern  Copper  Lode,  the  Peach 
Bottom  Copper  Lode,  and  the  Southern  or  Ore  Knob  Lode, 
which  cuts  into  the  extreme  southeastern  corner  of  the 
county. 

The  Northern  (or  Iron  Lode)  is  from  nine  to  fifteen  feet 
thick,  and  shows,  as  at  Hampton's,  a  pyrotite  and  copper 
pyrites  combined ;  in  some  parts  of  the  vein  giving  an  aver- 
age of  five  per  cent,  of  copper,  the  rest  being  iron  and  sul- 
phur having  the  appearance  of  holding  nicJcel. 

The  course  of  this  lode  is,  for  a  part  of  its  way,  through 
Grayson,  northeast.  Coming  into  the  county,  at  a  point  a 
mile  or  two  southwest  of  Dowten's  Ford,  it  continues  on  by 
Hampton's  close  to  the  mouth  of  Little  River,  thence  on  by  a 
point  somewhat  more  than  a  mile  north  of  Old  Town,  in 
the  direction  of  the  great  outburst  in  Carroll  County,  about 
fifteen  miles  length  in  Grayson.  That  this  sulphureted  vein 
would  become  an  important  commercial  feature  in  the 
county,  in  case  of  cheap  modes  of  transportation,  there  can 
be  no  doubt.  The  openings  made  at  Hampton's  and  other 
places  amply  prove  its  continuity  and  size.  Along  it  there 
is  not  so  much  gossan  as  on  the  Southern  Lode. 

The  Peach  Bottom  Lode  is  charged,  for  the  most  part,  with 
copper  pyrites  only,  and  its  iron  jjyrites  is  really  too  small 
in  amount  to  require  mention. 

The  Southern  Lode  seems  altogether,  in  places,  to  be  com- 
posed of  iron  pyrites  when  you  get  down  low  enough  below 
the  decomposed  ores  to  strike  it.  This  lode  being  sometimes 
forty  feet  thick,  the  quantity  of  ore  in  it  may  be  imagined. 

There  are  localities  in  which  pyrites  is  sometimes  a  large 
constituent  of  the  rocks — on  Elk  Creek,  Fox  Creek,  Wilson 
Creek,  and  on  the  streams  in  the  western  part  of  the  county 
in  the  slopes  of  the  Balsam  and  White  Top  Mountains. 
This  is  the  range  of  ores  which  is  most  likely  to  yield  gold 
in  paying  quantities. 


GRAYSON  CO. — COPPER.  303 

MANGANESE. 

Manganese  is  a  large  constituent  in  many  of  the  rocks,  but 
is  not  developed  in  any  distinct  veins  in  sufficient  quantities 
to  pay  for  mining. 

LEAD. 

Lead  is  found  interjected  with  the  copper  ore  in  the  Peach 
Bottom  Lode,  and  may  be  valuable  on  account  of  the  silver 
it  is  known  to  carry. 

It  is  also  known  to  exist  in  a  rock  having  the  appearance  of 
trap,  which  trends  through  about  two  and  a  half  miles  south  of 
Elk  Creek  Post  Office. 

It  is  highly  probable,  if  this  were  followed  up,  it  would 
lead  to  something  valuable. 

COPPER. 

This  is  an  unsatisfactory  subject  to  treat,  so  little  is  known 
of  the  great  veins  which  hold  it — at  any  depth. 

Copper  pyrites  can  be  detected  in  a  great  many  of  the 
ledges  of  rock  in  the  county  ;  but  the  probability  is  that  it  is 
likely  to  be  found  in  paying  quantities  in  the  Northern  Lode 
passing  Hampton's,  the  Peach  Bottom,  or  Middle  Lode,  the 
Southern  Lode,  and  in  one  of  the  sides  of  the  Brush  Creek  or 
Billings  Vein. 

In  the  first  or  Northern  Lode  it  has  already  been  found  to 
yield,  in  some  places,  an  average  of  five  per  cent,  of  copper, 
though  this  may  not  hold  as  a  rule.  In  the  Poacli  B!)ttoni 
Lode,  in  this  county,  no  developments  of  any  consequence 
have,  as  yet,  been  made  ;  and  it  might  be  promatnro  to  assign 
to  it  the  same  chc.racter  it  has  at  tlio  Poach  Bottom  Mine  in 
Alleghany  County,  N.  C.  On  ilie  Southern  or  Ore  Knob  Lode 
in  Grayson,  it  lias  been  inferred,  from  the  live  character  of  the 
gossan,  that  tliere  must  bo  a  good  percentage  of  copper  below. 


304  GKAYSON  CO. — SILVER. 

GOLD. 

So  important  a  statement  as  that  there  are  immense  quan- 
tities of  the  precious  yellow  metal  in  the  county  should,  no 
doubt,  be  made  with  a  great  deal  of  caution  ;  yet  such  is  the 
opinion  advanced  here,  after  an  investigation  of  some  length. 

That  the  gold  exists  in  the  parent  rock  in  sufficient 
quantities  to  pay  for  extraction  is  rather  a  premature  state- 
ment to  make  ;  but  that  the  disintegration  of  these  Huronian 
rocks  has,  through  ages,  left  paying  quantities  in  the  debris 
and  drift  along  the  streams,  is  confidently  believed.  The 
region  of  Elk  Creek  participates  in  this  distribution.  In  all 
likelihood  a  line  parallel  with  the  course  of  Iron  Mountain, 
about  the  distance  from  that  mountain  that  Elk  Creek  Post 
Office  is,  clear  through  the  county,  would  be  in  a  gold-bearing 
series.  The  gold,  it  may  be  submitted,  results  from  the  de- 
composition of  a  pyritous  quartz  and  felspathic  band,  which 
seems  to  follow  this  line,  showing  with  some  distinctness,  also, 
on  the  bank  of  New  Eiver,  a  few  miles  above  the  old  Gray- 
son Sulphur  Springs,  on  the  line  between  Grayson  and  Carroll. 

Elk  Creek,  however,  in  the  beautiful  valley  that  looks,  in 
spring  time,  like  a  jewel  from  heaven,  on  the  north  side  of 
Point  Lookout,  is  the  district  most  likely  to  pay  the  intelli- 
gent prospector. 

The  question  may  well  be  asked,  if  this  be  true,  why 
should  so  valuable  a  metal  have  lain  there  so  long  without 
being  found  out  long  ere  this  ?  The  same  might  be  said  with 
equal  propriety  of  the  Brush  Creek  gold  belt  in  Montgomery, 
which  the  miner,  only  the  other  day,  never  even  so  much  as 
suspected  to  contain  gold.  Now  it  is  attracting  universal 
attention. 

SILVER. 

Silver  has  been  found  by  close  analysis  to  exist  in  the  ores 
of  the  Peach  Bottom  Lode ;  in  what  quantities,  however,  it 


GRAYSON  CO. — GRANITE  AND  SYENITE.  305 

lias  not  been  determined.  Also,  in  tlie  Nortliern  Copper  and 
Iron  Pyrites  Lode  one  chemist  found  it.  It  is  highly  prob- 
able that  deep  mining  only  on  these  veins  will  find  it  in  pay- 
ing quantities. 

Then  we  may  also  hope  that  these  veins,  following  the 
habit  of  similar  ones  in  Cornwall,  will  also  yield  tin. 

LIMESTONE. 

Only  one  ledge  of  limestone  is  known  to  show  in  the  county. 
That  crosses  the  turnpike  leading  from  the  mouth  of  "Wilson 
to  Marion.    It  is  in  sufficient  quantities  to  be  highly  valuable. 

FELSPAR. 

There  are  apparently  all  the  varieties  of  felspar  in  this 
county,  the  scientific  names  for  which  are  orthoclase,  oligo- 
clase,  and  albite,  comprising  the  important  kinds,  such  as 
labradorite,  etc.  Orthoclase,  which  is  distinctly  the  potash 
variety,  is  quite  abundant,  sometimes  in  measures  eight  feet 
thick,  as  at  Elk  Creek,  in  several  places  on  the  road  from 
Blue  Springs  Gap  to  Independence,  and  at  many  other  points 
east  and  west.  From  the  decomposition  of  this  rock,  which 
contains  about  14  pounds  of  potash  to  the  100  pounds  of 
rock,  and  other  felspathic  varieties,  Elk  Creek  owes  the  ex- 
ceeding fertility  of  its  soiL 

From  these  ledges  of  pure  felspar  a  fertilizer  may  yet  be  de- 
vised which,  if  used  in  connection  with  the  gypsum  from  the 
inexhaustible  beds  of  Smyth  County,  will  render  it  possible, 
at  a  very  moderate  expense,  to  bring  up  worn-out  or  unpro- 
ductive lands  to  a  high  state  of  fertility. 

GRANITE    AND    SYENITE. 

Granite  of  every  variety  is  found  in  Point  Lookout  and 
Buck  Mountains.     It  may  also  be  found  in  the  spurs  of  the 


306  GEAYSON   CO. — WATER  POWER. 

Balsam  and  "White  Top  Mountains,  and  again  far  to  tlie  east 
near  tlie  eastern  side  of  tlie  county ;  but  its  positions  of 
greatest  purity  and  compactness  seem  to  be  Point  Lookout 
and  Buck  Mountains,  and  tlieir  vicinity,  even  the  black  and 
white  being  there,  the  porphyritic,  and  that  which  graduates 
into  the  syenitic,  finally  showing  true  syenite.  As  a  building 
or  ornamental  stone  there  are  great  masses  of  it  which  could 
not  well  be  excelled. 

ASBESTOS. 

This  mineral  exists  in  some  quantity  along  a  belt  just  south 
of  the  Northern  Copper  Lode.  It  has  been  found  in  handsome 
specimens  on  Little  River  and  below  the  Hampton  Mine.  It 
is  reported  also  from  Black's,  in  the  western  section  of  the 
county,  not  far  from  Grant. 

SOAPSTONE. 

There  are  great  masses  of  good  soapstone  following  the 
range  north  of  Peach  Bottom  Mountains,  extending  for  many 
miles  through  the  county  ;  also  in  beds  still  further  north. 
It  will  be  found  useful  in  furnace  lining  and  for  building  pur- 
poses. 

TIMBER. 

There  is  a  great  variety  of  fine  trees  in  Grayson.  White 
pine  is  abundant  in  the  south  spurs  of  Iron  Mountain,  Bal- 
sam Mountain,  and  White  Top  and  points  along  the  river. 
White  oak,  chestnut  oak,  chestnut,  etc.,  are  very  plentiful. 
Timber  is  so  abundant  in  nearly  every  part  of  the  county  that 
some  easy  means  of  getting  it  out  would  insure  a  bountiful 
supply  of  very  cheap  charcoal  to  the  furnace  men  for  years  to 
come. 

WATER  POWER. 

On  account  of  the  invariable  flow,  at  all  seasons,  of  a  large 
number  of  fine  streams,  over  rapidly  descending  beds,  this 


GEAYSON  CO. — AGRICULTUEE.  307 

county  must  be  regarded  as  haying  fully  as  mucli  water  power 
as  any  in  the  State.  Including  the  river,  which,  here  and 
there,  has  sufficient  fall,  any  force,  from  1,000  cubic  feet  per 
second  down  to  10,  can  be  had  with  but  little  outlay — Little 
Kiver,  Elk  Creek,  Wilson  Creek,  Fox  Creek,  Peach  Bottom 
Creek,  Bridle,  the  upper  ends  of  Little  and  Big  Helton  Creeks, 
Grassy  Creek,  Brush  Creek,  Knob  Fork,  and  two  or  three 
others  in  different  parts  of  the  county.  It  would  be  idle,  as 
well  as  unfair,  to  institute  a  comparison  between,  or  to  attempt 
a  description  of,  particular  locations.  All  of  these  creeks  afford 
excellent  powers  every  mile  or  two  for  all  the  purposes  of 
milling  and  manufacturing,  which,  taken  in  connection  with 
the  constancy  of  the  streams,  renders  the  county,  in  this  re- 
spect, the  superior  of  nearly  all  the  counties  in  the  State. 

MANUFACTURES. 

There  are  very  few  manufactories  in  the  county,  except  a 
carding  machine  or  two,  and  the  Little  River  Forge,  now  in 
operation.  There  are  the  usual  grist  and  saw-mills  in  every 
neighborhood ;  but,  for  want  of  facilities  of  transportation, 
there  has  been  no  inducement  to  build  any  extensive  factories 
of  any  kind,  though  the  people  are  sufficiently  enterjorising. 

AGRICULTURE. 

The  different  parts  of  the  county  are  very  diverse  in  their 
agricultural  features.  Wherever  the  granitic,  or  more  fcl- 
spatliic  series  predominates,  the  soil  seems  stronger  and  move 
capable  in  every  respect.  Where  the  streaks  of  manganifcrous 
epidote  and  the  more  easily  decomposed  talco-mica  slates  are, 
there  you  find  an  unsatisfactory  soil ;  but  lia])])ily,  as  to  the 
great  body  of  the  lands,  the  latter  are  in  the  smallest  propor- 
tion. It  is  plain  to  bo  seen  that  the  soil  tliroughout  is  the 
result  of  the  decomposition  of  tlio  rocks  in  eacli  locality  ; 
wherever  the  rocks  have  been  chiefly  composed  of  alumina 


308  GEATSON  CO. — SCENEEY. 

(or  clay  material),  silica,  and  potash,  soda  or  lime,  there  are 
the  finest  soils.  Elk  Creek  is  a  good  example  of  this.  No- 
where in  Virginia  can  a  more  beautiful  scene  be  found  than 
Elk  Creek  Valley  affords,  looked  at  from  any  of  its  surround- 
ing hills.  Its  beauty  and  loveliness  are  owing  to  the  matchless 
character  of  the  material  composing  its  soih  With  but  little 
attention,  here  and  there,  in  the  steep  portions,  these  lands 
would  never  lose  their  fertility.  On  the  contrary,  they  ought 
to  increase  in  productive  capacity  each  succeeding  year. 

But  Elk  Creek  is  not  the  only  beautiful  gem  in  Gray- 
son. The  hills,  often  steep,  are  crowned  with  that  growth  to 
the  summits  which  indicates  the  strength  of  the  soil.  Fre- 
quently upon  the  tops  of  ridges  nearly  4,000  feet  above  sea 
level  some  of  the  finest  corn-fields  are  to  be  seen.  Beginning 
on  the  Upper  Heltons,  Grassy  Creek,  and  coming  over  each 
succeeding  creek  and  ridge  until  you  reach  the  eastern  limits 
of  the  county,  there  are  thousands  of  acres  of  land,  at  from 
$5  to  $15  per  acre,  which  would  prove  far  more  productive 
than  twice  the  same  quantity  in  localities  farther  east.  There 
is  nothing  raised  in  this  latitude  which  these  lands  are  not 
capable  of  producing  in  abundance. 

SCENEEY. 

A  valuable  collection  of  fine  views  could  be  obtained  in 
this  county.  Whether  landscape  scenery,  such  as  that  pre- 
sented by  the  incomparable  scope  along  Elk  Creek,  or  ex- 
tended views  from  high  mountains,  or  the  fine  pictures  made 
up  by  waterfalls  over  100  feet  high  in  mountain  dells  strewn 
with  massive  rocks,  all  the  same  could  the  lover  of  the  beau- 
tiful in  nature  find  every  sense  gratified.  The  river,  as  it 
winds  back  and  forth  between  the  high  hills,  offers  many 
lovely  views.  There  are  few  localities  in  the  county  that  can- 
not produce  some  well-known  point  of  interest  in  the  line  of 
scenery.     Many  of  them  if  painted  and  exhibited  would  com- 


GRAYSON  CO.— TKADE  IN  CATTLE,  SHEEP,  "WHEAT,  ETC.   309 

mand  the  admiration  of  tlie  most  experienced  and  critical 
observers. 

FRXnTS. 

Tlie  apples  of  Grayson  have  commanded  for  years  a  very 
wide  fame  in  the  surrounding  country  for  their  flavor  and  ex- 
cellence. 

While  the  apple  seems  to  be  in  its  native  home  here,  the 
peach,  quince,  pear,  cherry,  and  plum  are  regarded  as  sure  to 
make  a  crop  each  year  in  Grayson  as  in  any  other  locality. 

Grape  culture  could  be  carried  to  high  perfection  in  the 
county,  judging  from  the  abundance  of  native  varieties. 
There  has  been  but  little  eifort  made  to  improve  the  old  or  to 
introduce  new  varieties.  Diseases  of  any  kind  seem  never  to 
have  attacked  the  grape  in  Grayson.  No  doubt  the  soil,  and 
the  large  area  of  southern  exj)osures,  would  make  grape  cul- 
ture very  successful  if  native  varieties  were  used. 

Bee  culture  could  be  brought  to  a  high  state  of  perfection 
on  account  of  the  large  number  of  flowering  plants  and  trees, 
and  tlie  abundance  of  moist  places  for  the  bees  to  use  in  the 
hollows. 

Fish  culture,  after  the  county  is  rendered  more  accessible 
by  railways,  will  become  an  important  feature,  not  only  for 
mere  sporting  purposes,  but  from  an  economic  point  of  view. 
The  streams  are  peculiarly  well  adapted  to  every  species  of 
game  fish.  The  mountain  trout  is  now  very  common  in  nearly 
all  the  streams,  and  in  some  of  tliem  afl:ords  excellent  sport. 
The  New  River  catfish  reaches  its  highest  perfection  in  this 
county.  Unlike  his  namesake  in  the  western  waters,  he  is 
here  regarded  fully  equal  to  the  best  table  fisli  in  excellency 
of  flavor  and  all  other  good  points. 

TRADE  IN  CATTLE,  SHEEP,  WHEAT,  CORN,  AND  TOBACCO. 

The  possible  trade  of  this  county  in  all  the  staples  would 
be  diflficult  to  approximate  under  the  favorable  conditions  of 


310  GRAYSON   CO. — TOWNS  AND  TILLAGES. 

cheap  and  abundant  transportation.  Besides  being  naturally 
a  good  cattle  and  farming  county,  Grayson  is  capable  of 
making  good  tobacco.  The  record  of  tlie  number  of  cattle 
and  sheep  now  annually  sold  is  no  just  estimate  of  her  capac- 
ity ;  for,  with  the  stimulus  resulting  from  increased  means  of 
transportation,  without  clearing  any  more  land  even,  the 
county  would  increase  its  revenues  from  all  classes  of  prod- 
uce fully  tenfold,  if  not  more. 

There  has  been  great  improvement  of  late  years  in  cattle 
and  sheep.  Elk  Creek  and  Bridle  Creek  seem  to  have  led 
off  in  this  direction.  Shorthorns  in  cattle,  and  Cotswold 
and  Shropshire-downs  in  sheep,  seem  to  be  the  favorites. 

The  county  sends  about  1,100  cattle  every  year,  which, 
directly  or  indirectly,  make  their  way  to  European  markets, 
and  her  total  sale  of 

Cattle  annually  is  about 3,800  head. 

Sheep         "  "  4,000      " 

Wool,  mostly  used  up  at  home,  about .  9,000  pounds. 

The  quantity  of  wheat,  corn,  and  tobacco  now  being  ex- 
ported is  scarcely  worthy  of  notice. 

Grayson  sells  annually  a  large  quantity  of  bacon  ;  but  is 
now  doing  but  little  with  horses,  except  improving  the  stock 
in  some  quarters. 

TOWNS  AND   VILLAGES. 

The  county  site  is  Independence,  situated  somewhat  east 
of  the  center  of  the  county.  It  has  the  usual  number  of 
hotels,  churches,  stores,  saddleries,  smith-shops,  etc.  The 
Grayson  Clipper,  a  progressive  weekly  newspaper,  is  pub- 
lished there.  Old  Town,  once  the  county  site  before  the 
county  was  divided,  is  situated  toward  the  southeastern  end 
of  the  county,  near  the  Carroll  County  line.  It  is  about  one 
mile  south  of  New  Eiver,  and  is  the  center  of  a  good  trading 


ASHE  COUNTY,  N.  C.  311 

and  mining  region.  There  are  stores,  cLurclies,  a  hotel  and 
post-office  there.  Mouth  of  Wilson,  Elk  Creek,  Bridle 
Creek,  Grant,  Greer's,  Carsonville,  and  one  or  two  other 
points  are  good  trading  posts,  and  now  annually  collect  and 
send  off,  besides  other  produce,  a  large  tonnage  in  medicinal 
herbs,  roots,  etc. 

The  public  schools  are  being  better  protected  by  the  State 
government,  and  are  gaining  greatly  in  the  estimation  of  the 
people. 

ASHE    COUNTY,  K  C. 

It  would  ill  become  any  one  to  attempt  to  give  a  thorough 
resume  of  the  mineral  resources  of  any  part  of  North  Caro- 
lina, after  that  work  had  once  been  done  by  such  men  as 
Kerr,  Hunt,  and  Genth  ;  but,  as  the  counties  of  Ashe,  Alle- 
ghany, and  Wautauga  are  directly  in  a  continuation  of  the 
great  and  massive  belts  which  pass  through  Floyd,  Carroll, 
and  Grayson  in  Virginia,  a  feeble  attempt  to  show  this  con- 
tinuation may  well  be  excused. 

Ashe  County  seems  to  exemplify  all  of  the  best  that  may 
be  said  with  respect  to  the  series  of  rocks  of  which  it  is 
composed,  besides  presenting  a  rich  and  charming  scenery  of 
unsurpassed  loveliness  in  its  lofty  lone  mountains  and  roman- 
tic gorges.  Lying  as  it  does  at  the  head  of  nearly  all  the 
great  rivers  that  flow  in  every  direction  from  it,  its  elevation 
gives  it  a  summer  climate  unequalcd  for  health,  to  which 
crystal  freestone  water  from  thousands  of  never-failing  springs 
lends  a  security  far  beyond  the  concoptiou  of  any  (^no  wlio 
has  never  felt  its  influence. 

Aslie  lir'S  ill  llio  i)lateau  of  tlio  Blue  Ilidgo  and  Ilnaka 
Bangcs,  liaving  one  on  tlie  south  and  southeast  bouncLuy, 
and  th(!  otlicr  on  the  northern  and  Avestern  sides,  liaving 
Grayson,  Va.,  on  the  north,  Allegliany,  N.  C,  on   the  east, 


312  ASHE  CO.,  N.  C. — GEOLOGICAL. 

Wilkes  and  'Wautauga,  N.  C,  on  the   south,  and  Johnson 
County,  Tenn.,  on  the  west. 

HOW  WATERED. 

The  county  is  excellently  well  watered  by  the  North  and 
South  Forks  of  New  Eiyer,  which  yield  a  water  power  for 
every  mile  of  their  course  of  great  reliability,  and  of  any 
desirable  volume. 

GEOLOGICAL. 

To  use  distinctions  which  are  more  or  less  arbitrary,  Ashe 
shows  the  rocks  of  the  Laurentian  and  Huronian  epochs, 
sometimes  placed  under  the  general  appellation  of  the  meta- 
morphic  series. 

They  include  granite,  gneiss,  syenite,  quartz,  hornblende, 
mica  and  talc,  chlorite,  mica  and  talc  schists  and  slates, 
gray  soapstone,  epidote,  felspars  of  all  varieties,  trap,  zeo- 
lites, actinolite,  and  many  others,  the  lithology  of  which 
would  be  entirely  obscure  to  the  general  reader.  Pure  gran- 
ite is  rare  in  the  county ;  but,  toward  the  southern  side  prin- 
cipally, there  are  broad  bands  of  gneiss,  as  those  showing 
about  Ore  Knob.  As  you  go  north  of  this  there  are  extra- 
ordinary bands  of  hornblende,  followed  by  mica  and  talc 
slates,  soapstone,  epidote,  etc.,  in  recurring  series,  all  pur- 
suing a  course  nearlv  north  70°  east  and  south  70°  west,  with  a 
dip  varying  between  30°  southwardly  on  the  north  side  to  the 
perpendicular  toward  the  south  side  of  the  county.  In  the 
gneissoid  system,  nearer  the  Blue  Eidge,  are  the  copper  veins 
in  which  Ore  Knob  and  Copper  Knob  are  situated ;  while,  fol- 
lowing the  hornblendic  series  near  the  northern  middle  part 
of  the  county,  are  the  copper  veins  in  which  Elk  Knob  Mine 
and  Phoenix  copper  ores  are  situated.  Toward  the  northern 
side,  on  and  near  to  the  North  Fork  of  New  Eiver,  are  the 
great  bands  of  magnetic  ore  in  the  epidotic  series  in  part, 


ASHE    CO.,  N.  C. — COPPER.  313 

and  in  tlie  gneissic  and  liornblendic  running  along  witL.  it 
and  just  south  of  it. 

COPPER. 

The  copper  range  in  Ashe  is  admittedly  one  of  the  best 
and  most  reliable  in  the  world.  The  Ore  Knob  Mine  has 
sufficiently  demonstrated  this  point,  the  quantity  of  cement 
copper  and  ingot  produced  since  1872  not  being  far  from 
25,000,000  pounds ;  last  year  having  shipped  2,436,392 
pounds  of  ingot  copper.  The  energetic  and  efficient  manage- 
ment there  having  erected,  in  a  surprisingly  short  sj)ace  of 
time,  a  singularly  efficient  and  entirely  satisfactory  plant, 
including  machinery  and  furnaces,  the  capable  mine  soon 
began  and  continued  to  yield  returns  that  have  fallen  at  only 
rare  intervals  below  the  expectations  resulting  from  the 
thoroughly  practical  tests  of  the  management,  sustained  by 
the  no  less  excellent  investigations  of  Dr.  Hunt. 

This  mine  lies  in  what  is  familiarly  known  in  Virginia  as 
the  Southern  Lode,  its  continuation  in  Virginia  showing  ex- 
cellent copper  ore  at  the  Toncray  Mine  in  Floyd  County,  Va., 
and  immense  quantities  of  gossan  near  Sparta.  Again,  to 
tlie  southwest  of  Ore  Knob,  at  one  or  two  points,  as  Mu- 
latto Mountain,  this  lode  shows  strong  surface  indications. 
Some  persons  are  ratlier  inclined  to  the  belief  that  Copper 
Knob,  or  Gap  Creek  Mine,  is  also  in  this  lode  ;  but  a  careful 
examination  proves  it  to  lie  south  of  the  Ore  Knob  Lode. 

This  vein  or  lode,  as  it  shows  at  Ore  Knob,  is  declared  by 
Kerr  to  be  the  most  remarkable  of  the  many  copper  veins 
showing  in  North  Carolina.     He  says  : 

That  though  it  was  opened  before  the  war,  it  was  not  until 
it  fell  into  the  hands  of  tlio  present  owners,  in  1871,  that  it 
began  to  show  its  real  cliaracter.  "Tliese  gentlemen  have 
opened  tlie  vein  by  a  series  of  shafts  and  tunnels,  and  have 
been  repaid  by  tlie  discovery  of  a  body  of  ore  which  is  not 
equaled  by  any  mine  I  know  of  outside  of  Ducktown.  .  .  . 
14 


314  ASHE  CO.,  N.  C. — COPPEE. 

*'  The  rock  of  tlie  region  is  a  gray  and  usually  thin  bedded 
gneiss,  with  mica  schists  and  slates.  These  have  a  prevalent 
strike  a  little  east  of  northeast,  and  dip  east  at  a  tolerably 
high  angle ;  though  both  dip  and  strike  are  subject  to  con- 
siderable variation.  The  walls  of  the  copper  vein  are  mica- 
ceous gneiss  and  mica  slates,  with  a  strike  north  57°  east, 
and  dipping  southeast  at  an  angle  40"  or  45  \  The  copper 
vein  is  coincident  in  strike  with  the  rocks,  but  is  vertical  in 
dip,  cutting  across  the  strata,  so  that  it  is  a  true  fissure  vein, 
and  not  bedded  like  those  at  Ducktown.  It  is  traceable  by 
an  outcrop  of  gossan  for  more  than  a  mile,  and  has  been 
proved  by  trial  shafts  and  trenches  for  nearly  2,000  feet. 
The  breadth  of  the  lode  varies  from  6  to  15  feet  (is  stated  to 
measure  20  in  some  cases,  ivhich  is  true),  averaging  about  10 
probably."  Peof.  Keee  then  goes  onto  speak  of  the  number 
of  shafts  then  sunk  at  the  time  of  his  visit,  etc.  Now  there 
are  eight  shafts  over  a  length  of  about  800  feet,  the  principal 
of  which  are  the  Engine  Shaft  on  the  crest  of  the  hill,  and 
Nos.  2  and  3  south.  The  mine  has  been  carried  to  a  dej)th 
of  350  feet.  Peof.  Keee  goes  on  to  say  :  "  There  is,  properly 
speaking,  no  gangue  stone,  the  whole  breadth  of  the  fissure 
being  filled  with  ore.  The  gossan,  which  is  decomposed 
oxidized  ore,  extends  to  an  average  depth  of  over  50  feet  in 
the  different  shafts,  the  lower  half  containing,  however,  a 
valuable  percentage  of  copper  in  the  form  of  oxide  and  mala- 
chite. Below  this  level  of  oxidation  the  ore  is  sulphuret  of 
copper."  De.  Hunt  gave  the  gossan  yield  at  14  tO'  22  per 
cent,  of  copper,  and  the  sulphurets  of  iron  and  copper  were 
last  winter  yielding  an  ore  which  assayed  fully  as  much. 
An  inspection  of  the  sketch  and  section  on  the  adjacent 
pages  may  perhaps  lead  to  a  better  understanding  of  the 
immense  amount  of  work  done  at  this  mine.  The  nearest 
furnace  showing  in  the  sketch  is  a  reducing  furnace,  the  next 
one  (near  the  end  of  the  railway)  is  a  reducing  furnace,  and 


-3    ^»' 


OKI';  KNon  (  ()1*im;k  mine. 
(P.  314.) 


i 


ASHE  CO.,  N.  C. — COPPER,  AND  GOLD,  AND  SILVEE.    315 

also  holds  tlie  refining  furnace.  The  large  building  at  the 
upper  end  of  the  railway  is  the  ore-house,  holding  the  crush- 
ing machinery,  etc.,  while  beyond  it  is  the  sky-house,  which 
is  erected  over  the  engine  shaft. 

The  operations  about  this  mine  for  the  last  nine  years  have 
had  the  effect  of  creating  an  immense  business  throughout 
that  region  on  a  paying  basis.  The  amount  of  money  an- 
nually put  in  circulation  for  labor  and  supplies  must  be  very 
great. 

COPPER,    AND    GOLD,    AND   SILVER. 

The  ores  taken  in  Mulatto  Mountain,  from  what  has  been 
commonly  accepted  as  the  southwestern  continuation  of  the 
Ore  Knob  Lode,  yield  an  average  as  follows :  Copper,  3  per 
cent. ;  gold,  $2.05  per  ton  ;  silver,  $2.80  per  ton.  These  ores 
were  taken  from  a  vein  5|  feet  thick  ;  but  it  is  barely  possible 
that  this  vein  lies  about  a  half  mile  to  the  north  of  a  point 
w^here  the  Ore  Knob  Vein  should  be,  if  continued.  Mulatto 
Mountain  is  ten  miles  southwest  from  Ore  Knob. 

Copper  Knob  Mine,  situated  in  the  Blue  Itidge,  near  the 
Ashe-Wautauga  line,  was  found,  upon  a  close  examination,  to 
agree  very  fully  with  Keer's  description,  which  is  as  follows : 

"  This  is  a  quartz  vein,  or  rather  a  group  of  them  ;  the 
principal  one  carrying  variegated  cojoper,  with  a  little  chalco- 
pyrite,  malachite,  chrysocalla,  specular  iron  i)yrito,  together 
with  visible  free  gold  and  silver.  The  vein  is  in  a  large  body 
of  hornblende  slate,  though  tlie  prevalent  rock  of  the  section 
is  a  gray  gneiss,  with  a  strike  north  GO''  east,  and  dip  south- 
east 40  \  The  vein  is  a  true  fissure,  with  a  direction  north 
35°  west ;  dip,  northeast  45''.  ]3k.  Emmons,  who  visited  the  mine 
when  it  was  open,  hhjh,  'Tliis  is  a  true  vein,  mi'I  lias  a  perfect 
rcgulurity  in  direction,  as  well  as  in  its  walls.'  The  width 
is  variable,  being  18  inches  at  tlie  surface,  and  from  12  to  24 
inches  at  different  depths  below  ground."     The  ore,  analyzed 


316  ASHE   CO.,  N.  C. — COPPER,  AND   GOLD,  AND  SILYER. 

by  Me.  Maneoss,  gave  "gold,  1|  ounces,  and  silver,  18  ounces 
per  ton  of  mixed  rock  and  ore."  Handsome  specimens  of 
purple  copper  ore  from  the  center  of  the  vein,  showing  much 
free  gold  to  the  eye,  yielded  about  $2600  in  gold  to  the 
ton. 

The  next  great  series  of  copper  deposits  in  Ashe  lies  four 
miles  north  of,  and  nearly  parallel  with,  the  Ore  Knob  Lode, 
about  the  middle  of  the  county.  This  line  of  ores  is  in  the 
southwestern  continuation  of  the  Peach  Bottom  Lode  ;  chiefly 
shows  in  a  decomposing  micaceous  gneiss,  and  toward  Elk 
Knob  in  hornblendic  strata. 

Near  Jefferson,  at  Weaver's,  and  at  Foster's,  near  Phoenix 
Mountain,  there  are  fissure  veins  cutting  the  strata.  They  are 
accompanied  with  quartz,  and  often  show  a  thickness  of  nine 
feet.  The  average  yield  of  these  veins  is  very  hard  to  deter- 
mine from  present  workings,  but  much  of  the  mass  is  a  very 
pure  sulphuret  of  coi3per.  Occasionally,  copper  glance  is 
found. 

Elk  Knob  Co}jper  Vein,  really  in  Wautauga  County,  seems 
to  be  nearly  at  a  point  where  the  Peach  Bottom  continued 
that  way  would  strike,  but  it  is  in  an  entirely  different  kind 
of  rock  from  Peach  Bottom  Vein.  Elk  Knob  Vein  has  been 
very  well  exposed  by  the  owners  in  several  places,  and  is  at 
different  points  variable  in  thickness ;  in  one  deep  ravine 
being  seven  feet,  and,  at  another  point,  sixteen  feet  thick. 
The  vein  seems  to  be  largely  composed  of  mundic ;  but  yields 
fine  specimens  of  gray  copper  ore  and  copper  pyrites,  all 
mixed  with  a  low  percentage  of  gold  and  silver. 

This  vein  is  undoubtedly  a  valuable  copper  vein,  but  has 
been  badly  prospected.  If  due  regard  had  been  observed  as 
to  the  carbonate  of  copper  showing  in  the  gossan  at  different 
points,  and  the  shafts  sunk  accordingly,  much  more  satisfac- 
tory results  would  have  been  achieved.  As  it  is,  the  work 
was  done  wherever  the  vein  was  most  accessible,  and,  unfortu- 


ASEE   CO.,  N.  C. — mON  OEE.  317 

nately,  tlie  poorer  alternations  in  tlie  vein  were  tlius  exposed. 
There  are  extraordinary  surface  indications  along  this  vein 
for  some  miles  in  length — mostly  gossan  or  oxidized  ore. 

Then,  again,  on  the  north  side  of  Phoenix  Mountain,  there 
are  evidences  of  the  southwestern  continuation  of  Avhat  is 
known  in  Virginia  as  the  Northern,  or  Hampton  Copper  Lode. 
No  developments  of  consequence  have  ever  been  made  on  it 
in  Ashe ;  although,  now  and  then,  gossan  may  be  detected 
along  it  in  considerable  quantities. 

There  are  other  places  in  the  county  where  copper  ores  have 
been  found,  sometimes  in  flattering  quantities,  as  at  Wither- 
spoons,  the  Old  Meat  Camp  Mine,  etc.;  but  the  thickness  of 
the  veins  has  generally  not  been  sufficient  to  warrant  much 
outlay. 

mON   ORE. 


The  iron  ore  in  Ashe  of  greatest  value  is  found  in  the 
magnetic  bands  on,  and  north  of,  the  North  Fork  of  New 
Eiver.  At  Ballou's,  on  North  Fork,  the  great  magnetic  vein 
was  found  to  be  massive  ore,  accompanied  with  hornblende, 
talc,  mica,  arid,  occasionally,  tremolite-trap  and  quartz  as  in- 
soluble constituents,  in  the  proportion  of  nearly  20  j^er  cent, 
of  the  vein,  at  a  point  where  the  vein  is  30  feet  thick ;  trend, 
north  55 '  east.  Just  south  of  this  vein,  about  250  yards,  is 
another  vein  of  the  same  ore,  separated  from  the  first  vein 
by  a  material  which  is  mainly  hornblende  schist,  mica  slate, 
and  schist  and  gneiss,  general  trend  being  south  55"  west. 
This  vein  is  5  foet  thick ;  while  the  larger,  tliough  for  300 
feet  30  feet  thick,  is  generally  not  over  15  feet — sometimes 
12.  These  veins  are  continuous,  either  way,  for  many  miles. 
These  ores  contain  about  0.020  of  phosphorus,  and  no  titan- 
ium, by  John  Fulton's  analysis. 

Then,  again,  in  the  gneiss,  etc.,  of  Helton  and  Horse  Creeks 
are  massive  ores,  coarse,  granular,  and  highly  magnetic. 


318  ASHE   CO.,  N.  C. — KAOLIN. 

Professor  Kerr  says,  on  Helton  Creek,  six  or  eiglit  miles 
east  of  tlie  Horse  Creek  ores,  "  are  still  larger  deposits  of  very- 
pure  magnetic  ore  wliicli  lias  been  long  used  in  the  forges  of 
the  neighborhood.  The  ore  is  a  close-grained  and  very  pure 
magnetite,  one  of  the  beds  of  which  is  reported  to  be  eighteen 
feet  in  thickness,  and  another  nine  feet." 

Toward  the  junction  of  the  North  and  South  Forks  of  New 
Eiver,  in  the  northeastern  prolongation  of  the  Ballon  veins, 
a  forge  has  been  running  for  some  time,  making  a  bar-iron  of 
the  highest  quality. 

Limonites,  of  great  purity,  are  common  in  the  gossans  of  the 
different  copper  veins.  Ore  Knob,  Elk  Knob,  and  the  north 
side  of  Phoenix  Mountain  show  very  considerable  deposits. 
The  south  flanks  of  the  Balsam  and  White  Top  Mountains 
show  specular  ores,  but  the  quantity  is  not  easily  ascertain- 
able. 

MICA. 

Large-sized  mica  is  found  abundantly  in  Ashe,  in  a  line  of 
dikes  composed  of  felspar,  quartz,  and  mica,  pursuing  a 
course  through  the  central  part  of  the  county,  northeast  and 
southwest,  at  an  angle  with  the  strike  of  the  rocks.  The 
largest  developments  yet  made  are  at  the  Little  Mine  on  the 
South  Fork  of  New  Eiver,  at  Hardens,  and  at  places  on  the 
head  of  Three  Top  Creek.  There  are  also  large  pieces  of 
mica  reported  from  the  south  spurs  of  Balsam  Mountain  and 
"White  Top.  The  two  veins  at  the  Little  Mine  are  respective- 
ly 30  and  18  feet  thick,  and  are  apparent  for  about  one  eighth 
of  a  mile,  though  there  is  no  doubt  of  their  continuation  for 
miles  either  way. 

KAOLIN. 

Fine  kaolin,  resulting  from  the  decomposition  of  albite  in 
these  mica  veins,  is  very  plentiful. 


ALLEGHANY  COUNTY,  N.  C.  319 

Felspar. — Very  pure  felspars  exist  in  large  quantities  in  tlie 
dikes  holding  large  mica. 

Asbestos  is  found  in  a  line  of  rocks  three  miles  north  of  Jef- 
ferson, the  county  site,  but  the  quantity  is  not  great.  In  the 
south  spurs  of  White  Top  Mountain,  near  Black's,  it  is  said  to 
be  in  quantity  and  of  good  quality. 


TALC. 

A  nearly  pure  talc  or  steatite  is  found  in  many  sections  of 
the  county,  but  that  found  in  the  east  face  of  Elk  Ridge  is 
preferred  at  Ore  Knob  Copper  Mine  for  furnace  lining.  It  is 
easily  sawn  into  blocks  of  any  desirable  size. 

TIMBER  AND   CHARCOAL. 

The  timber  of  the  county  is  of  every  conceivable  variety 
known  to  the  latitude,  and  in  forests  of  unlimited  extent. 
Charcoal,  except  in  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  the  copper 
furnaces,  could  be  had  in  great  abundance  for  years  to  come 
at  a  merely  nominal  figure. 

The  lines  of  transportation  through  Ashe,  as  to  railways, 
are  only  as  yet  projected.  Possibly  the  Statesville  and  Vir- 
ginia Railroad  may,  at  some  early  day,  be  built,  passing  near 
Ore  Knob  ;  and  there  may  be  others  of  which  the  writer 
knows  nothing. 


ALLEGHANY  COUNTY,  N.  C. 

Tliis  county  is  much  like  Ashe  in  its  geological  features ; 
lying  just  east  of  Asho,  it  holds  the  nortlieastcru  continua- 
tion of  its  copper  veins. 

The  Peach  Bottom  Copper  Lode  hIiowh  to  best  advantage 
at  Peach  Bottom  Co))])or  Mine  on  Elk  Creek  in  tin's  county. 
It  now  shows  ab(jut    iiine  feet  of  ore  in  walls  of  a  highly 


320  THE   COUNTIES   OF  SOUTHWESTEEN  VIEGIKIA. 

micaceous  gneiss,  or  mica  slate,  sometimes  talcose.  Tlie  ore 
is  usually  copper  pyrites  ;  occasionally  purple  copper  ore,  with 
a  considerable  admixture  of  galenite.  It  is  claimed  for  tliis 
mine  that  it  will  yield  largely,  also,  in  nickel,  antimony,  and 
arsenic.  This  vein  has  a  dip  southwardly  apj)roaching  the 
perpendicular,  and  a  strike  east  of  northeast.  It  is  contin- 
uous for  miles.  Has  been  actively  develo23ed  to  a  depth  of 
over  150  feet  within  the  last  year. 

On  the  Ore  Knob,  or  Southern  Lode,  south  of  Peach  Bottom 
Mountain,  are  the  great  deposits  of  gossan  or  limonite,  hun- 
dreds of  feet  in  extent.  They  are  close  to  Sj)arta,  the  county 
site. 

Nearer  the  northeastern  border  of  the  county  are  valuable 
deposits  of  asbestos. 

THE  COUNTIES  OF  SOUTHWESTERN  VIEGINIA. 

Augusta  County,  1738,  from  Orange  County.  ComjDrising 
all  west  of  the  county  of  Frederick  and  west  of  the  Blue 
Eidge.  This  territory,  of  which  nearly  all  of  the  counties 
of  Southwest  Virginia  are  now  composed,  and  our  south- 
western counties,  made  a  part  of  the  territory  alluded  to 
by  Gen.  Washington,  when  he  spoke  of  "  the  mountains  of 
"West  Augusta."  , 

Fincastle  was  formed  in  1772  from  Bottetourt,  and  was  ex- 
tinguished in  1776  by  the  formation  of  Washington,  Mont- 
gomery, and  Kentucky  counties. 

Montgomery,  1776,  from  Fincastle  County. 

Pulaski,  named  after  Count  Pulaski,  was  formed  in  1839, 
from  Montgomery  and  Wythe  counties. 

Wythe,  1790,  from  Montgomery. 

Grayson,  1793,  from  Wythe. 

Washington,  1776,  from  Fincastle  County. 

Bussell,  1786,  from  Washington  County. 


SOUTHWESTEBN  TIEGINIA. — CENSUS  ITEMS.  321 

Lee,  1792,  from  Eussell  County. 
Tazewell,  1799,  from  Eussell  and  Wythe. 
Giles,  1806,  from  Monroe  and  Tazewell. 
Smyth,  1831,  from  Washington  and  Wythe. 
Floyd,  1831,  from  Montgomery. 

Carroll,  named  after  Charles  Carroll  of  Carrollton,  1842, 
from  eastern  part  of  Grayson. 

Wise,  1855,  from  Lee,  Scott,  and  Eussell. 
Buchanan,  1858,  from  Tazewell  and  Eussell. 
Bland,  1861,  from  Wythe,  Tazewell,  and  Giles. 
Dickenson,  1880,  from  Buchanan  and  Wise. 

CENSUS  ITEMS. 

Population  of  the  counties  by  the  census  of  1880  compared 
with  that  of  1870,  from  information  kindly  supplied  by  Gen. 
Walker,  Superintendent  of  Census : 

1880.  1870. 

Montgomery   16,693  12,556 

Pulaski 8,750  6,538 

Wythe 14,318  11,611 

Smyth 12,159  8,898 

Washington 25,203  16,816 

Giles 8,794  5,900 

Bland 5,004  4,100 

Tazewell 12,861  10,791 

Eussell 13,906  11,103 

Scott 17,233  13,036 

Lee 15,116  14,100 

Wise 7,772  4,785 

Buchanan. 5,694  3,775 

Floyd 13,255  12,000 

Carroll 13,323  9,147 

Grayson 13,068  9,597 

14* 


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UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 

This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


JUL  0  2 190* 


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